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AUTHOR 


GOODRICH,  SAMUEL 
GRISWOLD 


TITLE: 


PICTORIAL  HISTORY 
OF  ANCIENT  ROME 


PLACE: 


PHILADELPHIA 


DATE: 


1875 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


Master  Negative  # 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


Original  Material  as  Filmed  -  Existing  Bibliographic  Record 


874 


i  G63 

I 


Goodrich,  S^amuelj  G^riswoldj  1793-1860. 

A  pictorial  history  of  ancient  Rome.  With  sketches  of 
the  iiistory  of  modern  Italy.  By  S.  U.  Goodrich  ...  Rev. 
and  improved  ed.    Philadelphia,  J^II.  Butler  &  co.,  18?t 


X,  ill]-336  p.     front.,  illus.,  maps.     19 


m 


1375  • 


1.  Rome — Hist. 


Restrictions  on  Use: 


Library  of  Congress  DG210.G686 


4-36636t 


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FILM     SIZE: 3.§ljfr_'^ 

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DATE     Filmed  :___lli_j!lil-^ INITI  ALS___L__:._i^ 

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Centimeter 

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mmmlmj^^ 


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MRNUFRCTURED   TO   PIIM   STfiNDflRDS 
BY   fiPPLIED   IMPGE,     INC. 


/ 


/ 


A  \ay 


I 


STANDARD 


LIBRARY 


HISTORICAL   SCHOOL   SERIES. 

BY    S.    G.    GOODRIOH. 


1.  GOODRICH'S   PICTORIAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  OTHER  PORTIONS  OF  AMERICA. 
2    GOODRICH'S  PICTORIAL  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

3.  GOODRICH'S   PICTORIAL  HISTORY  OF  FRANCE. 

4.  GOODRICH'S    PICTORIAL    HISTORY    OF    GREECE,    ANCIENT 

AND  MODERN. 
6.  GOODRICH'S    PICTORIAL   HISTORY  OF  ROME  AND    MODERN 

ITALY. 
6.  G00DR1CH.-PARLEY'S    COMMON  SCHOOL    HISTORY-A  Buibf 

COMPEND    OP    UnIVKRSAI.    HiSTORY. 

7    GOODRICH'S  FIRST  HISTORY— An  Intuodiction  to  Parley's  Com- 
mon School  History. 


/ 


/ 


t^T  (y^^'^ 


i^  ' 


^^imr 


i 


PICTORIAL  HISTORY 


OF 


ANCIENT   ROME. 


(      • 


HISTORY. or. iI.()DE.,KN  ITALY. 


.  1 "  •     J 


.J  I  C     L         C  I 


BY    S.    G.    GOODRICH, 

\m^)6Y  OF^P^TER  VVPLET^S  TALiiS.  / 


FOR  THE  USE  OF  SCHOOLS. 


REVISED   AND   IMPROVED  EDITION. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBUSHEP  BY   J.  H.  BUTLER  &  CU 

1875. 


lijt«red,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  .year  1848,  hj 

S.  G.  GOODRICH, 

I    the  Clerk's  OflBce  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massacbu«©tt» 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by 

S.  G.  GOODRICH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  Distnot  of 

New  York. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  186C,  by 

The  Heirs  of  S.  G.  GOODRICH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of 


New  York, 


«     •    •  •  •    • 


~ir«-» — m-r-w — « — r 
•      •     «        *     •      • 
••  •     •       ••       •  • 


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•    €  •  •  •*  *«•  ••  ••  •••«•  • 


1         • 


»     4 


Caxton  Press  op  Sherman  &  Co.,  Poilada. 


P  R  E  F  A  C  f 


Constantinc  and  the  Sign. 

Tms  'vork  heing  the  last  of  the  series  o{  Pictorial  Histories  for  Sch^oh  and 
FuiniUrs,  it  may  be  proper  to  state  the  leading  views  which  have  guided  the 
writer  in  their  preparation. 

In  a  work  of  this  nature,  it  is  obvious  that  simplicity  of  style  and  perspi- 
cuity of  arrausfcment,  are  not  merely  desirable,  but  essential.  Of  course,  ihc 
author  has  ailempled  to  secure  these  ends.  To  render  the  works  especially 
availahle  iii  education,  the  subjects  are  presented  in  the  form  of  short  chap- 
ters, each  chapter,  as  far  as  possible,  presenting  some  distinct  subj^'ct  or 
subJGcls,  likely  tr)  arrest  the  attention  of  the  reader,  and  strons^ly  to  impress 
his  menriory.  The  mailer  is  furlher  divided  into  verses  ;  and  questions  on 
these  are  given  to  aid  the  teacher  in  his  examination  of  the  pupils.  The 
writer  would,  however,  suggest  thai  in  many  cases  the  teacher  will  liid  it  best 
to  vary  these  questions  so  as  to  suit  the  particular  capacity  or  taste  i-ud  char- 
acter of  the  pupil. 

The  author  has  endeavored  to  steer  between  difficulties  which  always  beset 
historical  compends.  If  they  present  a  full  and  complete  chronological  out- 
line, ihey  are  apt  to  be  dry,  repulsive  and  uninslructive  to  the  beginner  in  his- 
tory. Ill  such  case  his  interest  is  not  excited  ;  nothing  being  presented  uoon 
which  his  imagination  lays  strong  hold,  he  learns  lillle,  and  remembers  less. 
On  the  other  hand,  without  a  distinct  chronological  outline,  history  is  a  maze, 
by  which  the  reader  is  more  likely  to  be  bewildered  than  enlightened. 

'To  avoid  such  difficulties,  the  writer  has  adopted  this  plan  ;  viz.,  to  select 
•he  great  points  of  history,  and  present  th*>m  in  clear,  distinct  chronological 
order  ;  and  then  make  these  leading  points  interesting  by  descriptive  details, 
anecdotes  and  incidents. 

It  has  lieen  said  that  Chronology  and  Geography  are  the  iiDC  Eyes  of  HUi- 
tory.  The  former  tells  when  events  happened,  the  latter  teds  where  tney 
Happened.  As  the  former  has  received  careful  altenlion  in  these  works,  the 
latter  has  not  been  neglected.  In  all  cases,  the  history  of  a  country  is  prc- 
cedeti  by  gooijra))hical  descriptions,  and  maps  have  been  introduced  when  th-ay 
were  required. 

As  great  care  has  been  taken  to  select  from  the  endless  mass  of  dtjtails  pre- 
sented by  the  histories  of  the  several  countries  treated  of  in  this  series,  in 
order  to  give  what  is  at  once  most  important,  instructive  and  amusing,  so  has 
it  been  the  special  design  of  the  writer  to  inculcate  just  viev.s  of  the  several 
characters  wnich  rise  before  the  reader  in  the  great  drama  of  life.  History, 
written  in  the  spirit  of  the  present  age,  must  be  very  different  from  that  w»ii 


392639 


n 


PREFACE. 


\Zn\uTv  ^  ^  f^u""  ''^''''^'''  ^^"^  "  ^onmjer  by  this  si-,.,"  was  the  inscription 
uponthebanneroflhecrossprrsenledtothevlsiaiofCo..siantine.  Thismavl.c 
regarded  as  a  toreshadowm-  of  wliai  has  since  come  to  pass.  Conquer  bu  thi 
truth,  IS  now  the  dictate  ofhuiiian  policy  as  well  as  that  of  divine  revelation 
Jn  earlier  days,  power  lajr  in  »he  sword,  and  war  was  the  jame  of  the  mas- 
ter spirits  of  mankind.  Success  in  war  was  glory  •  displays  of  nhvsical 
strength  and  l.rute  courage  were  celehrat-d  by  the  poet,  oraior,  anil  histc 
nan  and  were  rewarded,  not  only  ny  fame  on  earth,  but,  according  lo  the 
notions  of  the  age,  by  hi-h  places  in  heaven.  The  writings  of  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  were  imbued  with  these  views,  and  imparted  their  spirit  to  the 
histories  of  later  times.  It  has  been  the  special  care  of  the  rulers  ]n  Europe 
down  to  our  own  day  to  cherish  and  peri^nuate  these  views.  JMcxlern  monar- 
chies, like  all  nionarchies,  have  been  built  up  by  wars  ;  the  sword  is  their  archi- 
tect;  military  heroes  are  the  instruments  of  kings.  War  must  therefore  be 
made  the  path  to  wealth,  fame  and  glory.  Historians,  as  teachers  of  the  people, 
bound  to  brinjthem  up  in  the  support  of  monarchical  institutions,  must  do 
their  part.  Thus  it  is,  that  the  exploits  of  British.  French,  and  Russian 
nil  lary  heroes  are  spoken  of  in  the  pages  of  the  modern  historian  ven'  much 
m  the  language  of  the  pagan  authors  of  antiquity,  when  speaking  of  Alexander 
and  Cossar.  »     j  >  r  s    •  ^i^-Aaiiuui 

•  ^I'l^"'?  V'  ^  ^"""^[y  where  unnecessary  war  is  held  to  be  wrong;  where 
right  furnishes  the  only  rule  of  might ;  where  truth  is  acknowleil-ed  as  supe- 
rior to  the  sword,  the  author  has  of  course  viewed  the  characters  and  transac- 
tions  of  former  times,  m  a  light  somewhat  different  from  that  ordinarily 
thrown  over  historical  treatises.  He  has  son-ht,  indeed,  to  present  them  ifi 
their  true  colors  ;  and  while  making  due  allowance  for  the  darkness  of  other 
times,  has  endeavored  not  to  permit  that  darkness  to  become  habitual  in  the 
mind  of  the  reader,  and  disqualify  him  to  judge  of  things  as  they  must  appear 
in  the  sight  of  human  reason,  enlightened  by  the  spirit  of  Christianity 

The  author  may  add,  that  in  one  other  respt^cl  he  has  deviated  from  the 
ordinary  track  ;  he  has  not  confined  his  details  to  the  intrigues  of  politicians 
the  achievements  of  kings,  the  rise  and  fall  of  empires  -  the  mere  skeletons  ol^ 
history.  Ho  has,  indeed,  given  these,  so  far  as  was  necessary  ;  but  he  has  been 
careful  to  present  the  movements  of  society  ;  to  let  the  reader  loo<  in  upon  the 
masses  ;  to  study  their  feelings,  their  opinions,  their  modes  of  li  e  their  suf- 
ferings, their  enjoyments.  It  is  hoped,  therefore,  that  these  u  As  will  be 
found  not  merely  attractive,  but  useful  and  instructive,  inasmuch  as  they  wil 
enable  the  reader,  bv  studying  mankind,  to  study  himself;  anc  by  learning 
the  course  ol  Providence  in  respect  to  the  past,  to  judge  of  it  n'reeari  tc 
'ne  future..  &        *« 


CON  TENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


UUAPTEIt 


rios 


II. 
ill. 


IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

xn. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII 


XIX. 
XX. 

XXI 

XXil 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVIl. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XLIII. 

XLIV. 

XLV. 

XLVI. 

XLVII. 

XLVIII. 

XLIX. 

L. 

M. 

LII. 

LIII. 


Description  of  Italy, n 

-Divisions  of  Modern  and  Ancient  Italy la 

-Ancient  Inhabitants  of  Italy, I6 


ANCIENT    RO.ME FIRST     'ERIOD. 


r 


—First  Glimpses  of  Roman  Histor\ — Legends  of  J..neas, 

— Legend  of  ilomulus  and  Remus,  ' la 

— F'ouiidation  of  Rome, 20 

— The  Sabine  Women, 21 

—War  with  the  Sabines .22 

—  Death  of  Romulus, 23 

— Reign  of  JVuma, 24 

— The  Horatii  L.nd  Curiatii, 25 

— Anciis  Martius  —  Tarquin  I., 26 

— Reign  of  Servius  Tullius, 27 

— Reign  of  Tanjuin  the  Proud, 28 

—Overthrow  of  Tarquin  the  Proud, 3C 

— Government  of  Rome  under  the  Kings,  .  .  .  .  .31 
— Ancient  Roman  Annies  —  Customs  in  Founding  Citi'is,  33 
—Literature  of  the  Romans  under  the  Kings,  .       .       .       .34 


ANCIENT    ROME SECOND    PERIOD. 


— War  of  Porsenna,        .... 
— Mucins  Scoevola  —  Battle  of  Rcgillus, 
— Internal  Troubles  at  Rome, 
--Revolt  of  the  Plebeians,     . 


-Monenius  Agrippa, 


— Hanishment  of  Coriolanus, 

— Veturia  and  Volumnia, 

—Dictatorship  of  Cincinnatus,     . 

— Mount  Algidus,    .... 

— The  Decemvirs,   .... 

— Appius  Claudius  and  Virginia, 

— Siege  of  Veii, 

— Capture  of  Veii,  .... 

—Invasion  of  the  Gauls, 

— March  of  the  Gauls  to  Rome,  . 

— Capture  of  Rome  by  the  Gauls, 

— Defence  of  the  Capitol, 

— Departure  of  the  Gauls  from  Rome 

— Rebuilding  of  Rome,  . 

— (condemnation  of  Manlius, 

—The  Samnite  and  Latin  War,   . 

— Titus  Manlius,     .... 

— Devotion  '>f  Decius,     .       .       . 

—The  (>audine  Forks,  . 

—Arrival  of  Pyrrhus  in  Italy, 

—War  with  Pyrrhus, 

—Embassy  of  "Fabricius, 

—Defeat  of  Pyrrhus, 

—Progress  of  the  Roman  Commonwealth, 

—Foundation  of  Carthage,    . 

—First  Punic  War, 

—Naval  Victory  of^Diiilius, 

— Regnlus  invades  Africa.     . 

—Embassy  of  Regulus  to  Rome, 

—Death  of  Regulus, 


35 

36 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
47 
49 
5C 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 

5r 


58 

59 

60 

61 

62 

63 

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 


iriii 

LIV. 
LV. 
LVI. 
LVII. 
LVIII. 
LIX. 
LX. 
LXI. 
LXU. 
LXIII. 
LXIV. 
LXV. 
LXVI. 
LXVII. 
LXVIII. 
LXIX. 
LXX. 
I.XXI. 
LXXIl. 
LXXIII 
LXXIV. 
LXXV. 
LXXVI. 
LXXVII. 
LXXVIII. 
LXX  IX. 
LXXX. 
LXXXI. 
LXXXII. 
LXXXIII. 
LXXXIV. 
LXXXV. 
LXXXVI. 

Lxxxvn. 

I.XXXVIII. 

Lxxxrx. 

xc- 

XCI. 

XCII. 

XCIII. 

xciv. 
xcv. 

XCVI. 

XCVII. 

XCVlll. 

XCIX. 

c- 

CL- 

CII.- 

CIIL- 

CIV.- 

cv.- 

CVI.- 
CVIL- 
CVIII.- 
CIX.- 
CX.- 
CXI.- 
CXII.- 
CXIII.- 
CXIV.- 
CXV.- 


CONTENTS. 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


Erul  of  the  First  Pdnic  War, 
— Illyrian  and  Gallic  War,    .... 
--Comineiicemetil  of  the  ^5ec•ond  P  nic  War, 
—Hannibal's  Passage  of  ihe  Alps,      . 
—Campaign  of  Hannibal  in  Ilaly,      . 
—Battle  of  Thrasymenus,      .... 
— Fabius  Maximus, 

—  Battle  of  Cannoe,         ,       .       .       ,       . 

—  Battle  of  the  Metaurus,      ....*. 
—Capture  of  Syracuse  —  Scipio's  WVs  in  Spain, 
-Battle  of  Zama  — End  of  the  Second  Punic  War 

■Coiimiest  of  Greece  by  the  Romans, 

—  Death  of  Hannibal,      . 
— Cato  the  Censor, 
—Third  Punic  War, 
— Ca|)iiireofCartha2:e,  . 
—End  of  the  Third  Punic  War, 
— Tilierius  Gracchus,      . 
— Caius  Gracchus,  . 
— End  of  Ronian  Freedom,   . 
— The  Juirurthine  War, 
-Conquest  and  Death  of  Jiigurtha,    . 
—Invasion  of  the  Cinibrians  and  Teutoncs 
—Defeat  of  the  Barl)arians,  . 
—Tumults  at  Rome, 
—The  Social  War,  .       .       . 
—The  Social  War,  . 
—Rivalry  of  Marius  and  Sulla, 
—Flight  and  Exile  of  Marias,      . 
—Civil  War  of  Marius  and  Sul'.a, 
—Civil  War  of  Marius  and  Sul.a,  continued, 
—Dictatorship  of  Sulla, 
—The  Cilician  Pirates, 
—Conspiracy  of  Catiline,      . 
—Overthrow  of  Catiline, 
—Rebellion  of '.  par4acus, 
—The  First  Triumvirate, 
—Julius  Caesar  in  Gaul, 
—Parthian  Expedition  of  Crass 
—Disasters  of  Crassus,  . 
— De^«!'  of  Crassus, 
— Rivairv  of  Pompey  and  CoRsar 
-Civil  War,    .       .       .       . 
—Flight  of  Poinpey  from  Rome, 
— Pornpev  and  Caesar  in  Greece, 
-Battle  of  Pharsalia,     . 
—Death  of  Pompey, 
-Triumph  of  CiEsar,     . 
-Dictatorship  of  Cipsar, 
-Conspiracy  against  C;rsar, 
—Assassination  of  Caesar,     . 
-Mark  Antony, 
-Funeral  of  Cresar, 
-The  Second  Triumvirate,  . 
-Brutus  and  Cassius,    . 

-Battle  of  Philippi,       .       . 
-Antony  and  Cleopatra, 
Rome  under  the  Triumvirs, 
-Octavius  and  Antony, 
Quarrel  of  Octavius  and  Antony, 
Battle  of  Actium, 
Flight  of  Antouv, 


•    75 
.    76 

.    77 

.    78 

.    80 

HI 

.    82 

.    83 

.    84 

.    85 

.    87 

.    88 

.    90 

.    91 

.    92 

.    93 

.    94 

.    95 

.    96 

.    97 

.    99 

.  100 

.  102 

.  103 

104 

.  106 

.  108 

.  109 

.  Ill 

.  112 

.  113 

.  114 

.  lie 

.  1(8 
.  119 
.  120 
.  121 
.  123 
.  124 
.  125 
.  127 
.  128 
,  129 
.  131 
,  132 

133 

134 

135 

137 

139 

140 

141 

143 

144 

145 

147 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153 
154 


CXVl. 
CXVIL- 
CXVIIL- 
CXIX.- 
CXX. 
CXXl 
CXXIl.- 
CXXUL- 


CXXIV.- 

cxxv.- 

CXXVI.- 
CXXVII. 

cxxvin.- 

CXXIX. 

CXXX. 

CXXXI. 

CXXXII. 

CXXXIIl.- 

.  CXXXIV. 

CXXXV. 

CXXXVI. 

:;xxxvn.- 

CXXXVIIL- 
CXXXIX. 
CXL.- 
CXLL- 
CXLII.- 
CXLIII.- 
CXLiV.- 
CXLV. 
JXLVL- 
:  XLVII. 
^XLVIII. 
CXLIX. 
CL. 
CLI. 
CLH. 
CLHI. 
CLIV. 
CLV. 
CLVI. 
CLVII. 
CLVIII. 
CLIX. 
CLX.- 
CLXI. 
CLXII. 
CI.XIII. 
CLXIV. 
CLXV. 
JLXVI. 
CLXVII. 
CLXVIII. 
CI.XIX. 
CLXX. 
CI.XXI. 
CLXXII. 
CLXXIII. 
CLXXiV. 
CLXXV 


-Death  of  Antony, •  155 

-Death  of  Cle(»patra, 156 

-Establishment  of  the  Power  of  Augustus,        .       .       .157 

-Roman  I/ilerature  during  the  Second  Period,  .        .       .  158 

-Livius  Andronicus  —  Ncevius  —  Ennius  —  Plautus,       .  1 60 
-Terence — liUcretius  —  Catullus.        ...               .161 

-Cato  the  Elder  — Sallust,      ......  -62 

-Cicero  —  Ccesar, 164 

ANCIENT    ROME  —  THIRD    PERIOD. 

-Description  of  the  Roman  Empire, 167 

—Description  of  the  Empire,  continued,       ....  168 

— Inhabitants  of  the  Empire, 170 

-The  City  of  Rome  under  Augustus, 171 

—Rome  und^r  Augustus,         .       .               ....  173 

—Reign  of  Augustus, 174 

—Reign  of  Augustus, 175 

—Rome  under  Augustus, 177 

—Rome  under  Augustus, 178 

—Reign  of  Augustus, 180 

—Reign  of  Augustus, 182 

—Death  of  Augustus, 183 

—Accession  of  Tiberius, 184 

—Crimes  of  Sejanus, 1S6 

-Reign  of  Caligula, 187 

—Assassination  of  Caligula, 189 

—Reign  of  Claudius, 190 

—Reign  of  Nero, 191 

—Crimes  of  Nero, 194 

—Death  of  Nero, 195 

-Galba  and  Otho, •        ...  197 

-Reign  of  Vitellius, 195 

-Death  of  Vitellius, 199 

—Reign  of  Vespasian, 201 

—  Reign  of  Vespasian,  continued, 202 

—  Reign  of  Titus, 20S 

— Herculaneum  and  Pompeii, 206 

—Reign  of  Domitian, 203 

—Reign  of  Nerva, 210 

—Reign  of  Trajan,     . 211 

—Eastern  Campai£i:ns  of  Trajan, 213 

— Adrian  —  Antoninus  Pius, 214 

—Reign  of  Marcus  Aurelius, 215 

—Reign  of  Commodus, 217 

— Death  of  Commodus, 218 

—Commerce  of  the  Romans  with  the  East,         .       .       .219 

—Commerce  of  the  Romans  with  the  South  and  North,    .  221 

— ReiG^n  of  Perlinax, 222 

—  Didius  Julianus, 223 

—Reigns  of  Seutimius  Severus  and  Caracalla,    .       .       .  225 

— Macrinus  ann  Heliogabalus,        .*....  22€ 

— Alexander  Severus  —  Maximin, 223 

-Cruelties  and  Death  of  Maximin, 229 

—The  Two  Gordians, 23v, 

— Gordian  —  Philip  —  Decius, 231 

— Gallus  —  iEmilianus  —  Va'3rian,      ...               .  233 

— Gallienus  —  Claudius  —  Quintillius,         .       .       .  235 

— Aurelian  —  Zenol)ia, 236 

— Death  of  Aurelian, 239 

-Tacitus— Probus, 239 

— Carus,  Carinus,  and  Numer'^n,         .       •       .       .  240 

— Dioclesian  —  Galerius  —  Conslaulius,       ....  241 


*  CONTENTS. 

'JLXXyi  — Ct^.^tantinc  the  Great,  .  ...  .2*2 

CLXXV'Il.— Tlic  Sons  of  Constantine, '244 

Cj^XXVIII.—Constans  — Julian  the  Apostate, 245 

CLXXIX. — Death  of  Julian, !    247 

^r^'^A^r~X^^^"^'"'^"  ^"^  Valens  — Division  of  the  Empire'       !   24S 

^.vLAAXU.—  lheodosius  the  Great, 250 

CLXXXIII. — Arcadius  and  Honorius '    or.o 

CLXXXIV.-The  Britons,  .....  .       !  253 

r^yy^rX~^u^  «'"^"'"'  ^"'•^"n^ians.  and  Visigoths,      .       *  255 

t^LiAAAVl.— 1  he  Barl)arian  Governments, 25f. 

CLXXXVIL— Spain,  the  Vandals  and  Alani,    .       .  '257 

^^?^5-5^JU'~§^>i?'"?^^°"  °^  ^"^^''"  ^""O"^' Ihe  Empire,    .       .       .       '  25S 

oLXXXlX.— Stihcho,    ....  .        ,  ,  259 

CXC— Alaric,  Attila,  and  Genseric,  .  .       .  260 

CXCI.— End  of  the  Western  Empire,       .  ....  261 

/4^9II-~Jtl^^':?^"''^  ^"d  Eminent  Men  during  the  Third  Period,*  263 

^v^r\r •~7.*'^^^^  ~  Horace  —  Ovid  —  Tihullus  -  Propertius,      .  264 

7>^Vr~k^T~^^f^^^^''"^^^^^"5"^*^»  A"«^«    ....  267 

i^Ai^V.—Uecline  and  Extinction  of  Roman  Literature,         .       .  209 

CX(y  VI. —Later  Roman  Writers, 270 

CXCVIL— Religion  of  the  Romans,       .       .                     .       *       .'  273 

CXC VIIL— Roman  Festivals,    .               ......       i  275 

CXCIX.— The  Circus  — Amphitheatre— Gladiators,             .*       !  27G 

CC- Private  Amusement  of  the  Romans, 2:s 

CCL— Roman  Architecture, 2'7<: 

■     ^CII— Sculpture  and  Paintino:  among  the  Romans,    .'       !       !  281 

CCIIL— Manners  and  Dress  of  the  Romans, 2S2 

CCIV.—P^ood  and  Drink  of  the  Romans,         •       .       .       .       !  2nl 

CC  v.— Marriage  and  Funeral  Ceremonies  of  the  Romans,       *.  2S7 

CCVL— Roman  Military  Art  — The  Legion, 280 

CCVIL— March  and  Encampment  of  a  Roman  Army  —  The  Navv  20 1 

CCVIIL— Roman  Triumphs, .'294 

MODERN     ITALY. 

CCIX.— Odoacer  — Theodoric  — Belisarius, 297 

CCX. — The  Lombards, *    299 

CCXL— Charlemagne  — Frederic  Barbarossa,  .       \  !    30C 

CCXII. — The  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines,     ...  .  .    300 

CCXIII.-Civil  Wars  in  Italy,       ........    303 

CCXIV. — Cola  di  Rienza, *    3^ 

CCXV.— Schism  in  the  Panacy,  ....  .       '  i/c 

CCXyi.-The  Venetian  Republic, !  .    307 

CCXyil.— Genoa  — Lombardv -- Florence  — Naples,      .       .  .303 

CCXVIII.— Establishment  of  the  Spanish  Power  in  Italy,        ,.  .309 

CCXIX.— Conspiracy  of  Fiesco,  at  Genoa,        ...  .310 

CCXX. — Conspiracy  of  Venice, 311 

CCXXI. — Insurrection  of  Masaniello *    qiq 

CCXXIL-The  Modern  Popes,       ...  .  Vit 

^CXXIH.-Sixtus  the  Fifth,     ! !       .  !    316 

OCXXIV^— The  Italians  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  .       !       \  ]    313 

CCXXV. — Modern  Revolutions  of  Italy, *    32,1 

^^?^?^y^'~^"d*^^"  Revolutions  of  Italy,  continued,       .       .  .  322 

CCXXVII.— Modern  Revolutions  of  Italy,  concluded,       .       .  .   324 

THE    CITY    OF    ROME  —  ANCIENT    AND    MODERN. 

^^^^^Y^^^I- — Rome  under  the  Kings  and  the  Republic,      .       .  .  ;J26 

OCXXIX. — Arclutccture  of  Rome, ]  327 

^^^?^^- — ^^r-'intieur,  Embellishment,  and  Decay  of  the  City,  .  828 

CCXXXI. — Rome  after  the  Overthrow  of  the  Emoire  * '  '{20 

LtAAAU. — Rome  in  the  Middle  Ages, 339 

CCXXXIII. — Rome  under  the  Popes, [  |  331 

CCXXX IV.— Ruins  of  Rome  in  the  Fifteenth  Century!       !       '.  ]  ;i82 

CCXXXV. — Modern  Rome -ijZ 


INTRODUCTION. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Description  of  Italy, 

1.  Italy,  which  was  the  seat  and  centre  of  the  most  powerful 
pmpire  of  antiquity,  is  a  larn^e  peninsula  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
Mediterranean,  having  the  Adriatic  Sea  on  the  east  and  the  Tyrrhene 
or  Tuscan  Sea  on  the  west.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  lofty 
mountain  chain  of  the  Alps,  and  is  traversed  through  its  whole  length 
by  the  Apennines. 

2.  The  surf;ice  of  the  country  is  very  diversified.  The  southern 
part  is  mountainous.  In  the  north  is  a  great  plain  extending  in 
an  unl)roken  level  from  the  Alps  and  Apennines  to  the  Adriatic, 
and  watered  by  the  Po  and  its  tributaries.  This  is  the  most  fertile 
plain  in  Europe. 

3.  The  soil  of  Italy  is  fruitful,  producing  plentiful  crops  of  grain, 
fruits,  wine  and  oil.  The  amenity  of  its  climate,  and  its  picturesque 
scenery,  render  it  one  of  the  uKJSt  delightful  regions  in  the  varld. 

4.  The  beautiful  and  fertile  island  of  Sicily,  with  its  lolty  volcanic 
mountain,  vEtna,  lies  at  the  Koutbern  extremity  of  Italy,  and  is  sep- 
anitcd  from  it  only  by  a  narrow  channel.  According  to  tradition,  the 
'siand  and  continent  were  once  united,  but  some  great  convulsion  of 


CHAP.  I.  —  1.  How  is  Italy  boundetl  '  2.  Describe  tne  face  of  the  c  intry  3,  lh« 
0oii  Hfi.l  diinale.  4.  Describe  Sicily.  Whai  does  Ovid  say  of  it?  f  ^\\d\  wore  iIk" 
ancient  uaiiK)£i  «>f  luly  1 


v^ 


DIVISIONS  OF  MODERN    ITALY. 


nature  rent  them  asunder.     Ovid,  in  his  Metamorphoses^  alludea  tP 
this  hcliel*: 

So  /ancle*  lo  iho  Italian  oarlh  was  tied, 

And  men  once  walked  where  ships  al  anchor  ride, 

Till  Neptune  overlooked  the  narrow  way, 

And  in  disdain  jwured  in  the  conquerinij  sea. 

5.  Italy  was  called  Hesperia  by  the  Greeks,  on  account  of  its  lyiui 
westivanl'of  Greece.  In  very  remote  a<res  it  was  a 'so  known  hy  tlif 
names  of  Sat.nnia,  Ausonia  and  CEnotria.  The  designation  of  lialj 
was  not  grenerally  adopted  till  about  the  commencement  of  the  Chris 
tiun  era. 


CHAPTER   II. 

Divisiojis  of  Modern  aiid  Ancient  Italy, 


Avrient  JiO/naii  Kmn 

1.  Italy — excluding;:  Venice,  which  is  jiovenicd  by  an  Austrian 
viceroy— consists  of  the  Kiuj^dom  of  Italy,  Papal  Dominions,  and  San 
Marino.  The  Kingdom  of  Italy  was  formed  in  18G0  01  by  the  union 
of  the  following:-  states:  Piedmont,  Sardinia,  Lombardy,  the  Emiliau 
Provinces,  the  Marches,  Umbria,  Tuscany,  Naples,  and  Sicily. 

2.  The  divisions  of  Modern  Italy  correspond,  in  some  deforce,  to 


II.— 1.  How  i-i  Italy  iliviilod  at  present?    What  is  its  extent  ?    (?eo  table,  opimsite.) 
2.  What  are  tho  modern  divisionti  of  Italy  ?     What  is  saiil  of  its  ruins?     o    Dcsciibo 

*  The  ancient  name  uf  .Messina. 


UiLoiL.  East  LOlionv  iireCiiwielL 


1.1 


C^  -'' 


ieste 


^4iiial  'C^^'rt^. 


-^  '^.i-'i 


r^i^;^ 


Papal  Doun'iHi 
Mat 


•'&^\:&^^>-'^ 


miz 


% 


m 


,^=K  -\ ^ L_^-i!'- 

i^^»<:ainp^Jbasso     ^»  i 
I    loiiii 


i5*3\n'"J:^* 


W^0^''      ')f^''f'onaro^^       S  T^  A. 


f> 


j^i.^'' 


J.^ 


•a'^.j-. 


^aratit*) 


"C5&, 


"^^kr 


Vi^>  ■^^y,-.<;J 


.Ozeiii 


r 
k 


^ 


1 


r::& 


■^0^^ 
Mr^ 


M 


iTr  r^enfi^^  ^'  ■  "^,>xa  cu  sc 


m\ 


ft^^  Tion  T.asi  tfnm  "Washhigion. 


lYcnti} 


•r^enttvv 


at'o 


PRESENT  DIVISIONS  OF  IT.ALY. 


States. 


(lovernnicnt. 


Kingdom  of  Italy 

State  of  Sardinia 

States  of  the  (  hurch. 

State  of  Naples 

Papal  Dominions 

San  Marino < 


Monarchy 


Papal 

lU'puhlic 

Austrian  Viceroy. 


Capitals,  with  their  Pop. 


Fh)rencc 114,000 

Turin '2u5.000 

Ancona 45  000 

Naples 447,000 

Rome 204,0('0 

San  Marino 8,000 

Venice 119,000 


14 


DIVl^JlUNS  OY  ANCIENT  ITALY. 


the  ancient  oiins,  and  the  various  cities  bear  marks  of  different  deoreei 
of  auti^'ii  y.  At  Rome,  and  in  other  places,  are  many  ruins  which 
date  hack  for  two  thousand  years. 

3.  The  people  of  Italy  are  jo^enerally  of  a  swarthy  complexion,  and 
though  considerable  differences  are  found  between  those  of  different 
districts,  and  though  they  have  all  lost  the  vigor  of  their  ancestors, 
they  are  still  distinguished  by  the  same  general  characteristics,  and 
by  a  high  order  of  genius. 

4.  Ancient  Italy  comprised  three  great  divisions:  Cisalpine  Gaul, 
in  the  north,  Italy  Proper,  in  the  centre,  and  Magna  Graecia,  in  the 
south. 

5.  Cisalpine  Gaul  was  divided  by  the  river  Padus,  now  called  the 
Po,  into  two  separate  territories,  called  Gallia  Transpadana  and 
Gallia  Cis])adana.  The  whole  country  was,  after  the  Roman  con- 
quest, also  termed  Gallia  Togata,  in  allusion  to  the  people  having 
adopted  the  use  of  the  Roman  ioga,  or  cloak.  Venetia  was  in  the 
north-east,  and  Liguria  in  the  south-east,  of  this  region. 

0.  Italy  Proper  extended  southward  from  Gallia  Cispadana  to  the 
rivers  Silauru.  and  Trento,  compreher  jing  modern  Tuscany,  the 
Papal  States,  and  the  northern  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples.  The 
ancient  divisions  were  Etruria,  Latium,  Umbria,  Picernum,  Campania. 
Samnium,  and  the  territory  of  the  Sabines. 

7.  Etruria  was  a  highly  civilized  country  at  an  early  date,  lis 
inhabitants  had  made  great  advances  in  science  and  the  arts  before  the 
foundation  of  Rome.  Many  of  their  sculptured  gems,  vases  and 
paintings,  still  exist.  The  walls  of  their  ancient  cities  are  to  be  seen 
at  the  present  day  at  Cortona,  Perugia,  Fiesole  and  other  places. 
The  Etruscans  formed  a  confederation  of  twelve  states,  each  of  which 
«vas  an  independent  community  with  regard  to  its  domestic  policy. 

8.  Latium  lay  on  the  western  coast  of  Italy,  between  the  Tiber  and 
the  Liris.  In  early  times  it  was  inhabited  by  various  tribes,  called 
Latins,  Ausones,  Rutuli,  Sabines,  Volsci,  &c!^ 

9.  Campania  extended  along  the  western  coast  from  the  Liris  to  the 
Silaurus,  and  comprised  the  territory  around  the  city  of  Naples. 
This  country  has  always  been  fiimous  for  its  beauty  and  fertility,  ft 
suffered  more  frequent  changes  of  inhabitants  in  early  times,  than  any 
other  part  of  Italy.  Attracted  by  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the 
mildness  of  the  climate,  one  horde  of  invaders  poured  in  after  another, 
and  established  their  dominion  here,  until  the  Roman  conquest  secured 
the  tranquillity  of  the  country. 

10.  Magna  Graecia  was  settled  at  an  early  period  by  colonies  from 
Greece,  who  brought  with  them  the  arts  and  institutions  of  that 
country.  It  was  divided  into  Apulia,  Calabria,  Lucania,  and  Rrut- 
tium.  The  most  important  city  in  Magna  Graecia  was  Tarentum,  tne 
inhabitants  of  which  were  remarkable  for  their  wealth  and  luxurious 
habits. 


iV.i  Teople  of  Italy.     4.  How  was  ancient  Ital  •  divi.led?    5.  Descrilw  Cisalpine  Gaul 
What  name  was  siven  to  it  after  the  Koman  r    rxinest  1     *.  noscril)o  Italy  Pro[)er.     In 
Jiviaions.      7.    What  of  the  Etruscans?      S.  latiur  ?      9.  Campania?      Its  history? 
'0.  Magna  Gt  ecia'/     Its  til'-  isious  ? 


10 


UR 


112 


HE 


."^^^^ 


^lj*.v       ^' 


1ffl>fi/u^sL0, 


116 


O  IV  I  C  U  JVt 


'FoCMiiiJulii 


40 


V^ 


X6»^" 


9 


resvj^^v.. 


tP 


I'alimiruni  i^v|l| 


G*'' 


Coiiscn' 


A^^^ 


^  yrac'iiiBo 


Ganloslfelg^ 


TT^ 


,,^  JMelitu  I. 


ANCIENT   ITALY 

50  100  150 


NialuTiryi  iWa 


'  "'■  ""'■"■  •■■ 


1%  ANCIENT   INHABITANTS  OF  ITALV. 


CHAPTER   IIL 

Ajicient  Inhabitants  of  Italy, 

A.  By  the  light  of  the  earliest  historical  records,  it  appears  thai 
Italy,  hetween  one  and  two  thousand  years  before  ihe  Christiin  era, 
was  inhabited  by  two  races  of  people,  differing  from  each  other  in 
language  and  manners.  One  race  dwelt  on  the  coast  rmd  the  plain* 
adjacent,  and  the  other  on  the  mountains  in  the  interior. 

2.  The  former  were  probably  a  part  of  the  great  Pelasgic  tribe  ot 
family,  which  also  inhabited  Greece  and  Asia  Minor  in  very  ancient 
times.  Of  the  latter,  we  know  nothing  previous  to  their  appearance 
in  the  mountain  regions  of  Italy,  where  they  may  be  regarded  aa 
indigenous  or  native. 

3.  The  Pelasgians  of  Italy  seem  to  have  been  similar  in  characte? 
to  those  of  Greece.  They  were  an  agricultural  peoplp,  and  builf 
towns  with  Cyclopean  walls  of  unhauunered  stone.  Probably  they 
came  into  Italy  as  conquerors  or  colonists  ;  but  after  having  been  long 
settled  here,  it  seems  that  the  aboriginal  mountaineers  descended  into 
their  territories  and  subjugated  them.  " 

4.  We  then  find  the  south  of  Italy  occupied  by  a  people  calling 
themselves  CEnotrians :  the  region  in  the  neiirhborh<M>d  of  the  Tiber 
by  the  Siculi,  who  afterwards  invaded  the  island  of  Trinacria  and 
gave  it  the  name  of  Sicily ;  and  Etruria  inhabited  by  the  Tyrrhe- 
nians. 

5.  Other  names  appear  shortly  afterward  in  history.     The  Latins, 
according    o   tradition,   were  driven  down    the   river   Anio  by  the 
Sabines ;  and  the  latter,  in  their  turn,  exjH'iled  the  Siculi,  who  pro 
coeded  soutit  and  crossed  over  the  Strait  of  Messina. 

0.  AlM)ut  one  thousand  v»»ars  before  Christ,  the  Greeks  bejran  to 
found  colonies  in  the  south  of  Italy.  The  Chalcidians  and  Eretrians. 
froHi  the  island  of  Eubu?a,  built  the  cities  of  Cuma  and  Naples  in 
Campania,  and  Rhegium  on  the  strait.  The  Actiaeans  built  Sybaris, 
Crotona,  and  Melapontum. 

7.  In  Sicily,  the  Dorian  Greeks  founded  Messana,  Syracuse, 
Hybla,  Gela,  and  Agrigentum.  The  lonians  founded  Naxus,  Catana, 
and  Himera.  There  were  also  Greek  colonies  in  Corsica  and  Sar- 
dinia. 


fhc  teacher  will  here  put  stich  questions  upon  the  map  of  ancient  Italy  aa  may  famil 
liirize  the  pupil  with  the  ilivisions,  ^c. 

III.  —  1.  What  is  the  earliest  kiiowledsre  we  have  of  Italy  7  2.  What  is  known  of  ihi 
two  races  of  inhabitants?  3.  Who  were  the  Pelasgians?  4.  Who  inhabited  the  soulfe 
of  Italy  7  5.  What  is  said  of  the  latins.  Sabines  and  Siculi?  6.  When  did  the  Greekf 
be^in  to  found  colonies  in  Italy?  What  cities  did  they  Ixiild  here?  7.  Wlmt  aeltle 
aitmU  did  they  make  in  Sicily  an<l  elsewhare? 


LEGENDS  uF  iENKAS. 


■''7 


FII.ST    PERIOD   OF    ROMAN    HISTORI. 


tr.M    THE    FOUNPATION    OF    ROME   TO   THE   LAST   OF    THE    KINQ8 


V 


CHAPTER  IV. 


First  Glimpses  of  Raman  History.  —  Legends  of  jEncas. 

1.  The  early  legends  of  Rome  relate  that  this  extraordinary  nation 
nad  its  origin  from  ^]neas,  a  Trojan  prince,  who  was  driven  from  his 
native  country  in  consequence  of  the  capture  and  destruction  of  Troy 
by  the  Greeks,  1184  years  before  Christ. 

2.  According  to  this  story,  .^.neas,  with  his  father  Anchises  and  a 
large  train  of  followers,  embarked  in  ships,  and  sought  for  a  new 
home  in  the  west.  When  they  put  to  sea,  the  star  of  Venus,  who 
was  reputed  to  be  the  mother  of  ^neas,  stood  over  their  heads. 
After  various  adventures  they  landed  in  Italy,  when  the  star  disap- 
peared and  was  seen  no  more. 

3.  By  this  sign  the  Trojans  knew  that  they  had  reached  the 
country  which  fate  had  destined  for  their  home.  When  they  had 
brought  their  gods  on  shore,  they  began  to  sacrifice  ;  but  the  victim, 
a  milk-white  sow,  broke  from  the  priests  and  lied  away. 

4.  /Eneas  followed  her,  for  an  oracle  had  told  him  that  a  four- 
footed  beast  should  guide  him  to  the  spot  where  he  was  to  build  a 
city.  She  went  forward  till  she  came  to  a  hill,  where  she  lay  down 
and  produced  a  litter  of  thirty  young  ones.  i3^neas  then  heard  a 
voice,  saying,  **  The  thirty  young  are  thirty  years;  when  that  time 
has  passed,  thy  children  shall  remove  to  a  better  land  ;  meantime, 
build  thy  city  here." 

5.  We  have  related  this  fable  because  it  was  believed  by  the 
Romans,  and  the  memory  of  it  was  held  sacred  by  them.  Many  cir- 
cumstances in  it  are  undoubtedly  fictitious,  but  it  does  not  a})pear  that 
the  whole  was  an  invention  of  the  poets.  The  facts  probably  were, 
that  a  colony  of  Greeks,  driven  from  home  by  wars,  came  to  this 
country,  and  established  themselves  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Tiber. 
Nothing  else  is  certam. 

G.  A  city  was  built  here  in  the  country  called  Latium.  The  king, 
Laiimis,  gave  to  ^neas  his  daughter,  Lavinia,  in  marriL^e,  and  the 
rest  of  the  Trojans  formed  matrimonial  alliances  with  Latin  families. 
But  Turnus,  a  relation  of  the  queen,  had  conceived  an  early  attach- 
ment to  Lavinia.  Enraged  and  mortified  that  she  should  be  possessed 
by  a  stranger,  he  joined  the  hostile  nation  of  the  Rutuli,  and  in  the 
fast  battle  th:it  was  fought,  Turnus  and  Latin  us  were  killed. 


IV.  —  1.  Who  was^neas  ?  2.  Wlial  i^  :said  of  his  voyaee  ?  3.  What  happened  at  the 
hndinq  of  the  Trojans  in  iialy?  4.  Repeat  the  story  of  the  niilk-vvhiie  sow.  5.  What 
«  the  itrobaljlc  truth  of  this  story?    6.  What  city  did  the  Tnijans  'irsi  buil«        What 


|8 


LEGEND  OF  ROMULUS  AND  REMUb 


7.  HavincT  at  length  come  into  the  peaceful  possession  of  tnt  tlircwe 
^.neas  united  the  relip^ion  of  Troy  wiiii  that  of  Latium.  He  intro- 
duced the  worship  of  Vesta,  and  many  other  Trojan  deities. 

8.  The  Rutuli  havinfr  made  anallia'nee  with  Mezentius,  kin*T  of  the 
Tyrrhenians,  aorain  forced  ^'".neas  into  the  field.  Tlie  hostile'armies 
met  near  Lavinium,  and  iEneas,  beinir  pressed  by  superior  numbers 
to  the  banks  of  tlie  \umicus,  was  driven  into  the  river  and  drowned. 
The  Trojans  concealed  his  body,  and  (^ave  out  that  he  had  ascended* 
♦o  heaven.  A  temple  "  •**  erected  to  him  under  the  name  of  JupiU^ 
fndigrtes. 

9.  The  war  continued  between  Mezenlius  and  Ascanius,  the  sor 
of  ^neas.  In  a  certain  battle  they  met  hand  to  hand,  and  Ascanius 
slew  his  antagonist.  At  length  thirty  years  came  to  an  end,  and  the 
Trojans  removed  to  a  mountain  in  the  neighborhood  overlookin^r  a 
Uke;  here  they  built  a  city,  which,  from  its  shape,  was  called  All^ 
Lonoa,  or  the  "  white  long  city." 


CHAPTER   V. 
Legend  of  Romulus  and  Re?nus. 


ittfiat  •M^ntr-m 


Romulus,  Remus,  and  the  Wolf. 

1.  One  of  the  kings  of  Alba  Lonora  was  named  Procas.  lie  hac 
two  sons,  Numitor  and  Amulius.  When  Procas  died,  Numitor.  thf 
elder  son,  should  have  succeeded  to  the  throne,  but  Amulius  seized  it 
and  left  to  Numitor  only  his  share  of  their  father's  private  property. ' 


was  (lone  by  King  Laiinus  ?  What  l>ecanie  ofhim  ?  7.  Wliat  did  JEncas  c4  rwpeclnif 
religion?  8.  How  did  he  die?  What  name  waj  afterward  ever  to  k'n  9  WhJ 
took  place  at  the  eod  of  thirty  years? 


LEGEND  OF  ROMULUS  AND  REIMITS. 


15 


2.  After  this  he  caused  Numitor's  only  son  to  be  slain,  and  mado 
his  daughter  Sylvia  become  one  of  the  vestal  virgins,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  watch  the  ever-burning  fire  of  the  goddess  Vesta.  But  Syl- 
via had  made  a  private  marriage  with  a  person  whom  the  supersti- 
tious people  believed  to  be  the  god  Mars. 

3.  Twin  children  were  born  of  this  marriage,  and  Amulius  ordered 
them  immediately  to  be  thrown  into  the  Tiber.  It  happened  that  the 
river  had  just  risen  and  flooded  the  country,  and  when  the  childien 
were  cast  into  the  water,  the  biisket  which  contained  them  floated  to 
the  foot  of  a  hill  called  Palatine,  where  it  upset,  and  the  children 
were  landed  under  a  wild  fig  tree. 

4.  The  Roman  legends  go  on  to  state,  that  while  the  children  were 
lying  here,  a  she-wolf  came  down  to  the  river  to  drink,  and  when 
she  saw  the  infants  she  carried  them  to  her  den,  hard  by,  and 
suckled  them.  After  some  days,  Faustulus,  the  king's  herdsman, 
discovered  them,  and  carried  them  to  his  own  house,  on  the  Palatine 
hill,  where  they  were  brought  up  along  with  his  children. 

5.  The  twins  were  named  Romulus  and  Remus.  When  they 
grew  up,  the  herdsmen  of  the  Palatine  chanced  to  have  a  quarrel 
with  some  of  the  people  belonging  to  the  household  of  the  king. 
The  latter  laid  an  ambush,  and  took  Remus  prisoner.  The  young 
man  was  carried  before  Amulius,  who  was  struck  with  his  noble 
carriage,  and  asked  him  who  he  was. 

6.  When  Remus  told  him  how  he  had  been  found  near  the  river 
with  his  brother,  the  king  was  struck  with  surprise,  and  began  to 
suspect  that  these  might  be  the  sons  of  his  brother  Numitor.  In  the 
mean  time  Faustulus  and  Romulus  had  raised  their  friends  to  rescue 
Remus. 

7.  These  peasants  formed  themselves  into  companies  of  one  hundred 
men  each,  carrying  as  ensigns,  /nanijmli,  or  bundles  of  hay  on  long 
poles.  Thus  organized,  they  made  a  desperate  attack  upon  the  place 
where  Amulius  lodged,  defeated  his  men,  and  put  him  to  death.  Old 
Numitor  was  then  called  from  his  private  farm,  and  made  king. 

8.  The  two  brothers,  however,  did  not  wish  to  live  at  Alba,  but 
preferred  the  hill  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  where  they  had  been 
brought  up.  They  determined  to  build  a  city  there,  and  inquired  of 
the  gods,  by  divination,  which  of  them  should  give  his  name  to  the 
city.  They  watched  the  heavens  from  morning  till  night,  and  through 
the  night  till  the  next  morning,  tor  this  was  the  practice  in  such  cases. 

9.  Just  as  the  sun  was  rising,  Remus  saw  six  vultures ;  immedi- 
ately afterwards  Romulus  saw  twelve.  A  dispute  now  arose,  which 
of  the  two  had  beheld  the  truest  sign  of  the  gods'  favor.  The  ma- 
jority gave  their  opinion  in  favor  of  Romulus.  So  he  began  to  build 
the  cit)  on  the  Palatine  Hill. 


V.  —  L  What  of  Procas  and  his  two  sons  ?  2.  What  of  Sylvia  and  Mara  ?  3  What 
ha{)pened  to  the  twin  children  of  Sylvia?  4.  \Nhal  sloty  is  related  of  the  wolt?  of 
Faustulus?  5,  6.  What  nanie.s  were  uiven  to  the  iwin.s?  What  adventure  lirst  niaili 
Ihcin  known  to  the  kiuc?  7.  Whrii  cliani.'e  did  they  make  in  the  g(»verntnent?  8.  Whai 
pie[Kiral'oji  tiid  they  make  litr  l)uildiiig  a  city  ?    9.  What  happened  respec\ing  vultures 


20  FOUNni  HON  OF  ROMK. 

CHAPTER  ^l) 

Foundation  of  Rome. 

1.  Remus  was  mortified  and  an^y ;  and  when  he  saw  the  ditcJ 
and  wall  which  were  drawn  round  the  space  for  the  new  city  he 
Bcornfullv  jumped  ovef  them,  saying,  "  Will  these"  keep  out  an  ene- 
my?  Upon  this  insultinnr  behavior,  the  man  who  had  the  charcre  of 
the  workmen  struck  Remus  a  blow  with  a  sptide,  and  slew  him.^ 

2.  Rome,  as  the  city  was  named,  from  Romulus,  is  believed  to 
have  been  founded  753  years  before  Christ.  The  Romans  dated  their 
events  A.  U.  C,  that  is,  Ajino  ah  Urbe  Condita,  or  in  the  "  Year 
from  the  Foundation  of  the  City." 

3  When  the  city  was  finished  by  Romulus,  it  consisted  of  about 
a  thousand  dwellings,  irregularly  arranged.  The  inhabitants  were 
principally  employed  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  Romulus  was 
chosen  king,  and  immediately  devoted  himself  to  the  formation  of 
laws,  and  the  establishment  of  good  order  amon^r  his  subjects  He 
appointed  twelve  lictors  for  his  body-guard,  and  divided  the  people 
into  curiae,  decuriai,  patricians,  plebeians,  patrons,  clients,  &c. 

4.  He  established  a  senate  of  one  hundred  patricians,  who  debated 
and  decided  upon  measures  proposed  by  the  king.  To  the  people  he 
gave  the  power  of  electing  magistrates  and  declaring  war.  Of  the  re- 
ligious affairs  ot  Rome  he  was  equally  careful ;  he  appointed  priests, 
established  festivals,  and  arranged  a  regular  system  of  worship 

5.  Nevertheless,  Romulus  found  that  his  people  were  notsufH- 
eiently  numerous,  so  he  set  apart  an  asylum  in  Rome  to  which  any 
man  might  flee  from  the  neighboring  communities,  and  be  safe  from 
his  pursuers.  This  rapidly  increased  the  population  of  the  city  and 
Home  became  the  refuge  of  a  great  many  desperate  characters,  and 
fugitives  of  all  kinds. 

6.  Rome  being  thus  full  of  people,  met  with  new  embarrassments 
Women  were  scarce,  for  the  people  of  the  neighboring  cities  would 
not  give  their  daughters  to  the  Romans  for  wives.     Romulus  was 
therefore  determined  to  provide  for  this  want  by  stratagem  and  force 
1  he  senate  united  with  him  in  the  project,  and  it  was  carried  intii 
ettect,  as  vill  be  seen  in  the  next  chapter. 


X' 


^  Jfi~D         ^''\  ^"""r    ^''^  '^''''^^  ^'"  Kemus?    2.  When  was  Rome  foundeil?     How 

the  people?    4.  What  of  the  senate,  the  elections,  religion,  Ac.  ?    5.  How  wai  the  i>ii> 
Illation  increased  ?    6.  What  was  the  state  of  Ror^e  with  regard  to  woroea  J  '^ 


IHK  SABLXK   WUMt^N. 


81 


chapter; vn 

The  Sabine  Women 


Carrying  off  the  Sabvie  Women. 

1.  A  GREAT  feast  in  honor  of  Neptune  was  ordained  at  Rome, 
and  announced  in  all  the  neighboring  towns.  On  such  occasions 
there  were  always  splendid  shows  and  ceremonies,  which  drew 
crowds  of  spectators.  The  people  of  Caenina,  Crustumerium  and 
Antemna,  and  a  great  multitude  of  Sabines,  with  their  wives  and 
children,  flocked  to  Rome  to  witness  the  feast  of  Neptune. 

2.  The  visitors  were  received  with  great  civility  by  the  Romans, 
but  as  soon  as  the  shows  began,  a  signal  was  given,  and  the  Roman 
youth  rushed  into  the  crowd,  seized  the  most  beautiful  girls,  and 
carried  them  home  for  wives.  The  girls  w^  soon  reconciled  to 
their  husbands,  but  the  strangers,  whose  daughters  they  were,  took 
up  arms  to  avenge  this  breach  of  hospitality. 

3.  The  Sabines  in  particular,  who  had  suffered  chiefly  on  this  oc- 
casion, took  a  very  hostile  and  threatening  attitude.  They  came 
with  a  great  army  under  their  king,  Titus  Tatius,  and  besieged 
Rome.  The  people  of  the  city  had  built  a  strong  fortress  on  the 
Capitoline  Hill,  which  borders  on  the  Tiber,  and  was  at  that  time 
separated  from  the  Palatine  by  a  low  swampy  valley. 

4.  This  fortress  was  the  chief  citadel  and  defence  of  Rome.  The 
coiiimander  of  it  had  a  daughter  named  Tarpeia,  who  was  in  the  for- 
tress when  the  Sabine-i  were  encamped  undor  the  walls.     As  she 


VII.  —  1.  What  is  said  of  ..e  feast  of  Neptune?  Who  attended  it?  2.  How  did  tne 
RomaLs  Teat  the  spectators?  3.  What  was  done  y  the  Sabines?  Wiio  commanded 
them?     What  fortress  was  built  in  Rome?    4.  W-     was  Tarpeia?    What  bargiin  cUc 


22 


V\'AK   WITH   lAE  SABINES. 


looked  on  the  hosts  of  the  besiegers,  she  was  struck  with  the  sighv 
of  their  bracelets  and  collars  of  gold.  Instigated  by  her  avarice  and 
love  of  finery,  she  entered  into  a  treacherous  correspondence  with  the 
enemy,  promising  to  betray  the  citadel  to  them  if  they  would  mvf 
her  "  the  bright  things  which  they  wore  upon  their  arms." 

5.  This  being  agreed  to,  she  watched  her  opportunity,  and  in  an 
unguarded  moment  opened  one  of  the  gates  of  the  place.  The  Sa- 
bines,  as  they  entered,  threw  upon  her  their  bright  brazen  shields, 
which  they  carried  on  their  arms,  and  crushed  her  to  death.  Thus 
the  Sabines  got  possession  of  this  strong  place,  where  they  defied  Un 
some  time  the  power  of  the  Romans. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
War  ivitk  the  Sabvies, 

1.  Many  battles  ensued  between  the  Romans  and  Sabines,  in  the 
valley  which  divided  the  two  hills.  The  latter  had  the  advantage, 
and  approached  close  to  one  of  the  gates  of  Rome.  As  the  story  is 
told  us,  the  inhabitants  shut  the  jrate,  but  it  openi  d  of  its  own  ac- 
cord,  they  shut  it  again,  and  again  it  opened.  But  as  the  enemy 
were  rushing  into  the  city,  a  migbty  stream  of  water  burst  from  the 
temjde  of  Janus,  and  swept  them  away. 

2.  In  commemoration  of  this  wonderful  event,  it  was  ordered  that 
ever  afterward  the  temple  of  ,Tanus  should  stand  open  in  time  of  war, 
that  the  god  might  always  be  ready,  as  on  this  day,  to  go  out  and 
give  his  aid  to  the  people  of  Rome. 

3.  The  Romans  now  made  an  attempt  to  retake  the  citadel,  but 
I  he  Sabines  threw  great  stones  upon  them  from  the  walls.  Romuhjs 
was  struck  upon  the  head,  and  his  men  began  to  flee,  but  he  rallied 
them,  and  the  fight  waxed  fiercer  than  ever.  At  this  critical  moment 
the  Sabine  wives  of  the  Romans  rushed  into  the  thickest  of  the 
fight,  between  the  contending  hosts,  and  begged  their  husbands  and 
Tathers  not  to  exteruMpate  each  other. 

4.  The  sudden  appearance  of  these  females  brought  the  conflict 
immediately  to  a  pause.  Both  parties  stood  in  astonishment  gazing 
at  each  other.  The  intercessions  and  entreaties  of  the  women  at 
length  inclined  them  to  peace.  A  treaty  was  made,  and  the  two 
nations  were  combined  into  one. 

5.  It  was  agreed  that  the  two  kings  should  reign  jointly  at  Rome, 
md  that  the  Romans  should  take  the  name  of  Qmrites,  from  the  city 
of  the  Sabines,  which  was  called  Quirium.  The  Sabines  were  to 
?njoy  all  the  privileges  of  R  man  citizens.  Peculiar  marks  of  dis- 
tinction were  conferred  on  tin  Sabine  women,  and  their  children  were 


5. 


How  did  ihey  obtain  possession  of  the  fortress  1    Wliat 


she  maKe  with  the  Sabines? 
was  the  end  of  Tarpeia  ? 

'''^ni.  —  :  How  uid  the  war  with  the  Sabines  proceed?  What  hap|)ened  to  the  Sa 
wnes  whet,  ihey  ailenipled  to  enter  the  gate  1  2.  What  was  done  in  comnieinoraiiou  ol 
ihis  ?     3    How  did  the  Sabine  women  conduci  ?    4    Wiu:»  was  the  cuu.-'eir.ionc«1    6 


DKATH  OF   ROMULUS. 


t>-\ 


lUowed  to  \vear  garments  and  decorations  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  rest  of  the  peoj/le. 

6.  Tatius  was  killed  at  Lavinium,  some  time  after  this,  and  Rom- 
ulus reigned  alone.  He  was  a  just  king,  and  humane  towards  his 
people.  If  any  were  guilty  of  crimes,  he  did  not  put  theni  tc  dK.ath, 
but  made  them  pay  fines  of  sheep  and  oxen.  In  wars  he  uas  vi^ry 
successful,  and  enriched  Rome  with  the  spoils  of  her  enemies. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Death  of  Rovmlus, 

1.  When  Romulus  had  reigned  about  forty  years,  he  came  tc  hia 
end  in  a  surprising  manner,  as  the  old  legends  relate.  One  day  a 
public  meeting  was  held  in  the  Field  of  Mars,  just  without  the  city 
walls.  All  of  a  sudden  arose  a  dreadful  tempest ;  it  was  as  dark  as 
night;  the  rain,  thunder  and  lightning  so  terrified  the  people,  that 
they  immediately  fled  home  to  their  houses. 

2.  The  storm  blew  over,  but  Romulus  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 
It  was  believed  that  Mars,  his  father,  had  carried  him  up  to  heaven 
in  his  chariot.  Some  time  afterward,  a  Roman  w4io  was  returning 
to  the  city  by  night  from  Alba,  saw  the  ghost  of  Romulus,  in  more 
than  mortal  beauty,  which  said  to  him,  "  Go,  tell  my  people  to  weep 
no  more  for  me.  Bid  them  be  brave  and  warlike,  and  they  shall 
make  my  city  the  greatest  upon  earth."  The  phantom  then  disap- 
peared. 

3.  This  story  was  firmly  believed  by  the  Romans,  and  they  gave 
Romulus  the  name  of  a  god.  They  built  him  a  temple,  oflfered  sac- 
rifices to  him,  and  worshipped  him  by  the  name  of  Quirinus.  The 
Roman  writers  of  later  times  discredited  this  supernatural  tale,  and 
were  of  opinion  that  Romulus  was  put  to  death  by  the  senators,  be- 
cause he  had  attempted  to  usurp  their  authority. 

4.  Romulus  having  disappeared,  there  was  no  one  to  take  his 
place.  The  senators  refused  to  appoint  a  king,  but  they  dividea 
themselves  into  committees  of  ten,  each  body  holding  the  kingly 
power  for  ten  days  in  rotation.  A  year  passed  under  this  govern- 
ment ;  but  the  people  murmured  and  clamored  for  a  regular  sovereign. 

5.  The  Sabines  and  the  Romans,  thorgh  united,  still  kept  up  a  party 
distinction,  and  could  not  agree,  each  wishing  a  king  of  their  ow^n 
side.  At  last  it  was  agreed  that  he  should  be  chosen  from  the  Sa- 
bines, but  that  the  Romans  only  should  vote.  The  choice  fell  on 
Numa  Pompilius,  a  man  of  high  character  for  knowledge  and  integ- 
rity, and  who  is  said  to  have  learnt  his  wisdom  from  Pythagoras,  the 
famous  Greek  philosopher. 

How  did  itie  two  rations  unite?     What  name  did  the  Romans  take?     What  distinctior. 
Kas  sbown  to  llie  Siibine  women  ?     0.   What  is  sal  J  of  the  reign  of  Ronnjlus? 

IX. --1.  How  Ions:  did  Itoniulus  reign?  Wlia:  hap|)ened  in  the  Field  of  Mars? 
2.  VVI.ai  became  of  Romulus?  What  st«»ry  i.s  toll  of  a  phantom  ?  3.  What  was  done 
U"  Romulus  after  his  death?  What  wa^  thought '  f  this  .story  in  later  tires?  4.  How 
wa«  liw  goven.ment  carried  on  after  the  dej»tt  of  Romulus?  5  Whi  ■*'as  th^  \}0M% 
king?     fl«»v  w--*-*        '^'^ser\  ^ 


24 


REIGN  OF  NUMA. 


CHAPTER  X 
Reign  of  Numa. 


Numa  Pompihus. 

I.  Numa  proved  a  most  excellent  kin^.  He  cherished  the  arts  of 
peace,  promoted  agriculture,  reformed  the  calendar,  divided  the  ctj. 
zens  mto  classes  according  to  their  trades  and  pursuits,  built  temples 
and  regulated  religious  worship.  ^^mpms, 

2  In  all  his  acts  of  legislation,  Numa  professed  to  act  under  the 
^irection  of  the  goddess  Egeria.  She  was  believed  to  have  taken 
hira  for  her  husband,  and  his  hours  of  retirement  were  supposed  to 
^nSr  /"  her  company  in  a  sacred  grove  near  Rome,  where  a 
grotto  and  a  spring  of  water  were  long  afterwards  known  by  hei 
name.  -^ 

.ifi^^^'^^AT^"^  sovereign  forbade  all  costly  sacrifices  and  the 

ho  fff  "^/f  ^u""^  T""  '^'  ^^'^^-  ^^  ^'^^'^^  ^hat  nothing  should 
be  offered  to  the  gods  except  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  meal,  cakes  of 
flour,  and  parched  corn  He  loved  husbandry,  and  wished  that  every 
man  miijht  live  happily  on  his  own  estate.  The  territories  which 
the  K.3mans   had   acquired  in  war   he  divided  equally  air  org  the 


"1    How  did  Numa  reign?    2.  Who  was  Egeria?    3.  What  of  sacrifices  an'- 


THE  HORATIl  AND  CURIATII. 


25^ 


4.  Everything  in  Rome  was  prosperous  during  the  reio-n  of  Numa 
The  temple  of  Janus  was  shut,  for  there  were  no  wars!  A  temple 
A-as  built  to  Faith,  and  a  solemn  worship  appointed  for  her  thai 
men  mijrht  learn  to  respect  honesty  and  fair  dealing.  In  such  work^ 
Numa  passed  the  whole  of  his  happy  reign,  and  died  at  the  acre  of 
eighty,  B.  C.  670.  * 

5.  Tullus  Hostilius  was  next  chosen  king.  He  was  of  a  martia^ 
disposition,  and  soon  had  occasion  to  prove  his  valor.  The  borderers 
along  the  Roman  and  Aiban  territory  began  to  rob  each  other,  and  this 
brought  on  hostilities.  The  Albans  advanced  to  within  five  miles  of 
Rome,  where  they  pitched  their  camp.  The  two  armies,  feeling  tiiai 
they  were  descended  from  the  same  people,  weie  for  seme  time  un- 
willing to  fight. 

6  The  two  leaders  at  length  agreed  to  decide  the  quarrel  bv  n 
combat  to  be  fought  by  six  champions,  three  from  each  side,  and  the 
victorious  nation  was  to  reign  over  the  other.  In  the  Roman  arnn 
were  three  brothers,  born  at  one  birth,  named  Horatii.  In  the  Albau 
army  were  three  others  like  them,  named  Curiatii.  These  were 
fixed  upon  for  the  champions. 


CHAPTER   XI. 
The  Horatii  and  Curiatii. 


j^f 


/^^^^^i^'^'nuV 


A 


=;z^'):? 


.,.#'■- -.J^l^; 


,ii.«Ml«»l 


Combat  between  the  Horatii  ar,i  Curiatii. 

I.  The  place  of  combat  lay  in  an  oper,  space  between  the  two 
marahalled  hosts.     The  champions  took  their  station  amid  the  hopes 

nusUndry  ?    4.  How  did  Rome  flourish  unde-  Nnma  ?    When  did  he  die '    5   Who 
•ur.ceed5d  him ?    What  war  took  place ?    G.  How  was  it  proposed  to  decide  the  war? 


'*^"^*'  '■   '■--■'J^iKA. 


26 


ANGUS  MARTI  US. 


and  anxieties  of  tneir  countrymen.     The  glittering  of  their  burn  when 
swords,  and  the  clashing  of  their  armor  as  they  rushed  to  the  figh; 
stirr^^d  the  blood  of  the  spectators  with  a  mighty  thrill,  and  ever? 
man  held  his  breath  in  dreadful  solicitude. 

2.  Victory  at  first  seemed  to  incline  in  favor  of  the  Albans.  Two 
of  the  Romans  were  killed,  and  the  survivor  was  soon  surrounded  by 
his  antagonists.  A  deafening  shout  of  exultation  was  set  up  by  the 
Alban  army,  and  a  cry  of  wailing  ran  through  the  Roman  ranks. 
The  single  champion  gave  ground,  and  at  length  took  to  flight. 
Again  the  Albans  made  the  welkin  ring  with  shouts  of  victory. 

3.  But  this  exultation  was  premature.  The  three  Albans  were 
severely  wounded,  while  the  Roman  remained  unhurt.  As  the  Al- 
bans lagged  behind  each  other  in  the  pursuit,  the  Roman  suddenly 
turned  upon  them,  struck  down  the  foremost  ere  the  second  could 
come  up  to  his  relief;  the  next  he  despatched  in  the  same  manner; 
the  third,  wounded  and  dispirited  by  this  sudden  change  of  fortune, 
could  not  maintain  a  single  combat,  and  fell  likewise. 

4.  Victory  having  thus  declared  for  the  Romans,  they  marched 
home  in  triumph.  Alba  became  bound  to  obey  them,  and  their 
strength  was  now  greatly  augmented.  But  in  a  war  with  the  Fide- 
nates,  the  Alban  general,  Mettius  Fuffetius,  kept  his  arm/  aloof  in- 
stead of  joining  the  Romans  in  battle,  meaning  to  take  the  side  of 
the  conquerors. 

5.  The  Romans  having  won  the  battle,  determined  to  punish  this 
act  of  treachery.  They  took  Mettius  and  bound  him  between  two 
chariots  ;  then,  driving  the  horses  different  ways,  they  tore  him  asun- 
der. After  this  they  went  to  Alba,  destroyed  the  city,  and  compelled 
the  inhabitants  to  emiorate  to  Rome. 

6.  Tullus  reigned  thirty-three  years.     He  was  killed  by  lightning 
which  struck  his  house  and  destroyed  it,  with  all  his  family.     Sucli 
is  the  old  story,  though  some  are  of  opinion  that  he  was  put  to  death 
and   his  family  exterminated,  by  Ancus   Martins,  who   succeeded 
hiin  on  the  throne. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Anctcs  Mar  tills — Tarquin  L 

1.  Ancient  history  does  not  say  much  of  Ancus  Martius,  who 
began  his  reign  B.  C.  638.  He  had  a  war  with  the  Latins,  whom 
he  conquered  and  brought  to  Rome,  where  they  were  allowed  the 
Aventine  Hill  to  dwell  upon.  He  also  founded  a  colony  at  Ostia 
where  the  Tiber  flows  into  the  Mediterranean,  and  added  Mouni 
TanicuVu.Ti  to  Rome,  joining  it  to  the  city  by  a  brid^re  across  thd 
nver. 


.  V"".  u"^ '  ^^1  ^''^  cymbal  l)eiween  the  Horatii  and  Curiatii  bepin  ?  2.  What  mi-for 
lunefiisl  happened  to  the  Romans?  3.  Which  side  obtained  the  rictory  7  4  Whal 
happened  in  the  war  with  the  Fidenaies?  5.  How  did  the  Romans  piuiitb  MeltiiMM 
W^lMit  became 'if  Alba?    6.  H:w  did  Tullus  die?  "        ♦»  4wwvvni«  i 


TAKUULN    I. 


27 


4  Diifing  the  reign  of  Ancus,  there  <  ame  to  Rome  from  Tar- 
quinii,  a  city  of  Elruria,  a  wealthy  person  whoin  the  Romans  called 
Tarquin,  or  Lucius  Tanjuinius.  His  father  was  a  Greek  of  Corinth, 
who  had  emigrated  to  Etruria  and  married  a  wife  there.  Lucius  was 
reirarded  as  a"^ foreigner  in  that  coun'ry,  on  account  of  his  father,  and 
therefore  removed  to  Rome  with  his  wife,  because  foreigners  were 
Ihere  held  in  more  respect  than  among  the  Etruscans. 

3.  The  legend  of  Tarquin  relates  that  as  he  sat  with  his  wife  in  a 
chariot  approaching  the  gates  of  Rome,  an  eagle  plucked  the  cap 
from  his  head,  flew  up  into  the  air,  and  then  returning,  placed  it  on 
his  head  again.  Tanaquil,  his  wife,  was  well  skilled  in  augury,  ant 
told  her  husband  that  this  was  a  sign  he  would  rise  to  greatness. 

4.  Tarquin  having  settled  in  Rome,  showed  himself  a  brave  mar. 
and  wise  in  council.      His  riches  gained  him  the  favor  of  the  multi 
lude,  and  he  became  known  to  the  king.     Tarquin  served  him  weD 
in  peace  and  war,  so  that  Ancus  held  him  in  great  honor,  and  when 
the  king  died,  he  appointed  him  by  will  to  be  the  guardian  of  his 

children. 

5.  Tarquin  being  popular  among  all  classes  of  the  Romans,  was 
chosen  king,  B.  C.  009.  He  conciuered  the  Latins  and  Etruscans, 
and  then  devoted  himself  to  the  improvement  of  the  city.  He  buiil 
the  walls  of  Rome  with  hewn  stone,  and  constructed  a  vast  drain  to 
carry  ofl^  the  water  of  the  streets  into  the  river.  This  work  remains 
to  the  jjrtv^.ent  day. 

G.  Tarquin  built  also  a  gieat  circus,  or  race-course  for  chariot  and 
horse-races,  and  made  the  celebrated  forum  or  public  square  of 
Rome,  where  markets  were  held,  and  great  speeches  were  commonly 

made. 

7.  One  day  when  Attius  N^vius,  a  great  soothsayer,  had  opposed  a 
certain  design  of  Tarquin,  as  contrary  to  the  will  of  the  gods,  Tar- 
quin mocked  at  his  art,  and  ?aid,  *' Come  now,  augur;  tell  me  by 
thy  soothsaying  whether  the  thing  which  I  have  in  my  mind  be  pos- 
sible or  not."     Naevius  answered,  ''  It  is  possible." 

8.  *'  Then,"  said  the  king,  *'  cut  this  whetstone  w"lth  a  knife,  for 
that  is  what  I  was  thinking  of."  "  Cut  boldly,"  replied  the  augur. 
The  king  cut,  and  the  whetstone  came  in  two.  All  the  old  Romans 
believed  this  tale,  but  it  was  probably  invented  by  the  priests  to  keep 
up  the  popular  belief  in  the  art  of  augury. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


Reign  of  Servius  Tullius. 

1.  Tarquin  reigned  long   J.nd    prosperously.     He   is  known   in 
Roman  history  as  Tarquinius  Priscus,  or  Tarquin   Ihe  First.     The 


XTI  —  1  When  did  Ancus  Martin?"  \yes.\n  Id  reicrn  ?  Whal  were  his  deeds  ?  2.  Who 
was  Taiuuiri?  Why  did  he  remove  to  Rome?  3.  What  is  the  legend  of  the  eagle? 
How  wai  it  explained?  4.  How  did  Tanpiin  succeed  at  Rome?  5  When  was  he 
chowjn  kin«''»  What  were  his  deeds?  6.  What  public  works  did  he  constract . 
7.  Who  was' Attius  Nrevius?  3.  What  is  the  story  aUmt  cutting  a  whetstone?  Wtat 
!•  I'.ie  probability  of  this? 


2S 


TARQUIN  THE  PROUD. 


Bons  of  i^  ncus  Martius,  hoping  to  gain  the  crown,  (aused  hinn  to  h*i 
assassii  atfc,1.  But  Tanaquil,  as  soon  as  the  assassins  had  fled,  gave 
out  that  he  was  only  stunned  by  the  blow,  and  that  his  son-in-law, 
Servius  TuUius,  would  manage  his  affairs  till  he  recovered.  In  the 
mean  time  Servius  managed  to  secure  himself  in  the  possession  of  the 
government. 

2.  Servius  began  his  reign  B.  C.  576.  He  was  a  just  and  good 
king,  and  made  many  wise  laws  to  screen  the  poor  from  the  oppres- 
sions of  the  rich.  He  added  the  Esquiline  and  Viminal  hills  to  the 
city,  and  divided  the  citizens  into  tribes.  He  gave  freedom  to  the 
slaves,  and  abridged  the  arbitrary  power  of  the  crown. 

3.  Servius  had  no  son,  but  he  had  two  dauo^hters  who  were  married 
to  the  sons  of  the  late  King  Tarquin.  The  younger  daughter, 
TuUia,  was  an  ambitious  and  wicked  woman  ;  she  formed  the  scheme 
of  murdering  her  husband  and  sister  that  she  might  marry  her  brother- 
in-law.  Having  accomplished  this  by  poison,  she  next  aspired  to  the 
crown. 

4.  Lucius,  her  husband,  joined  with  her  in  a  plot  for  this  purpose 
He  fomented  a  conspiracy  among  the  young  nobles,  and  placing  him- 
self at  the  head  of  an  armed  band,  proceeded  to  the  senate-house 
and  placed  himself  on  the  throne.  The  king,  hearing  this  news, 
hastened  thither  and  demanded  the  meaning  of  his  conduct.  Lucius 
replied  that  the  throne  was  his,  and  immediately  seizing  the  old  man, 
threw  him  down  the  steps  of  the  senate-house. 

5.  Servius  attempted  to  save  himself  by  flight,  but  was  overtaken 
and  murdered  in  the  street.  Tullia,  his  daughter,  impatient  to  see  her 
husband  king,  mounted  her  yhariot  and  drove  toward  the  senate-house. 

6.  Meeting  the  bloody  corpse  of  the  old  king,  the  charioteer 
checked  his  horses,  but  this  detestable  woman  ordered  him  to  drive 
on,  and  the  wheels  rolled  over  his  body.  The  spot  where  this 
unnatural  deed  was  performed  is  pointed  out  at  this  day  in  Rome. 
and  the  street  is  called  Vm  Scelerata,  or  the  "  W  eked  Way." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


Reign  of  Tarqidn  the  Prnr.Ld, 

1.  Lucius  Tarquinius  thus  became  king  of  Rome,  B.  C.  520 
He  is  the  one  known  in  history  as  Tarquinius  Superbus,  or  the 
Proud.  As  he  gained  his  power  by  crime,  so  he  exercised  it.  He 
kept  a  guard  of  men  around  him,  and  ruled  in  an  arbitrary  manner. 
Hi}  plundered  the  rich  men  of  their  wealth,  banishing  some  and  puttiiiji^ 
others  to  death      In  foreign  affairs  he  behaved  with  great  treachery. 


XIII. —  1.  How  (lid  Tarquin  I.  die?  What  was  done  by  his  wife?  2.  When  did 
Servius  TuUius  l>egin  his  reis^n?  What  was  his  character?  His  de^eds  ?  3.  Hi« 
dausjhler's?  What  was  done  by  Tullia?  4.  What  by  Lucius?  How  did  he  treat  his 
father-in-law?  5.  What  became  of  Servius?  How  did  Tullia  behave?  6.  What  is  said 
of  her  unnatural  cruelty  ?  What  name  is  given  to  the  street  where  this  deed  was  per- 
formed 7 

UV.  —1.  When  did  Tarquin  the  Proud  begin  to  reisn?    What  was  his  conduct 


REIGN    OF  TARQUIN  ThjL  PROtD. 


29 


2.  A  strange  woman  came  one  day  to  the  king  and  oflTered  him 
aine  books  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Sibyl  at  a  certain  price.  The 
king  refused  them.  The  woma  .  went  away  and  burnt  three  of  the 
books.  She  then  came  back  a  .d  oflTered  the  six  at  the  same  price 
which  she  had  asked  for  the  nine.  Tarquin  still  refused.  She 
went  away  again  and  burnt  thrte  more,  and  Returning,  still  demanded 
th3  same  price  for  the  remainder. 

3.  At  this  the  king  was  astonished,  and  asked  the  augurs  what  he 
should  do.  They  told  him  he  had  done  wrong  in  refusing  the  gifts 
of  the  gods,  and  bade  him  by  all  means  buy  the  books  that  were  left. 
So  l^arquin  bought  them,  and  the  woman  went  away  and  was  seen 
.o  more.  The  Looks  were  put  into  a  chest  of  stone  and  placed 
under  ground  in  the  capitol.  They  became  the  oracles  of  Rome,  anc 
were  called  the  Sibylline  Books. 

4.  Tarquin  subdued  the  Volscians  and  Gabians,  and  made  his  son, 
Sextus,  king  of  the  latter  people.  But  the  power  which  he  had 
acquired  by  treachery  and  oppression  did  not  last  long.  Among  the 
men  whom  he  had  injured,  was  Marcus  Junius,  who  had  married 
the  daughter  of  Tarquin  the  First.  His  son,  Lucius  Junius  Brutus, 
liad  assumed  the  character  of  an  idiot,  to  evade  the  cruelty  of  the 
tyrant. 


Brutus  pretends  to  be  an  Idiot. 

b.  The  Roman  army  marched  against  the  citv  of  Ardea,  and  laid 
siege  to  it ;  but  as  the  city  was  strong,  much  tune  was  spent  in  the 
enterprise.  The  besiegers  had  leisure  tor  feastiu:.*  and  diversion,  and 
one  evening  Titus  and  Aruns,  the  sons  of  the  k:!i2^,  were  supping 
with  their  brother  Sextus,  and  their  cousin  Taro-nnjus  of  Collatia,  oi 


2.  What  story  is  told  of  a  strange   woman  ?      3.  What   were   th 
4.  What  nations  did  Tarquin  subdue?    What  is  eaid  of  Marciw  ii 

3* 


ibylline  books 
''niua  BnttuDi 


iO 


OVKRTHROW  OF  TARQUIN  THE  PKOLD. 


Colatinus.    They  frot  into  a  dispute  about  their  wives,  each  one 
professing  to  have  the  worthiest. 

0.  **  Let  us  mount  our  horses,"  said  one  of  them,  "and  lid? 
immediately  to  Rome,  to  see  what  our  wives  are  doint> ;  then  we 
shall  know  which  is  the  best."  This  was  accordingly  done  ;  tbey  found 
the  wives  of  Titus,  Aruns,  and  Sextus,  feasting  and  making  merry. 
But  Lucrctia,  the  wife  of  Collatinus,  was  found  working  with  hei 
maids  at  the  loom.  They  all  then  exclaimed,  *'Lucretia  is  he 
worthiest  lady  !" 


CHAPTER  [K^L 
Overthrow  of  Tarquiii  the  Proud, 


Tarqutntus  Superbus  banished  and  leaving  Rome. 

1.  Sextus  was  so  much  taken  with  the  beauty  of  Lucretia,  thai 
ho  fell  into  a  violent  passion  for  her.  And  some  time  afterward?:,  he 
behaved  towards  her  in  so  brutal  a  manner  that  the  unhappy  lady, 
unable  to  survive  the  insult,  stabbed  herself  to  the  heart.  Brutus, 
who  was  present  when  the  deed  was  done,  drew  the  knife  from  thi- 
wound,  and  took  an  oath  by  the  blood  which  stained  it,  that  he  would 
lie  avenfjed  on  ihe  tyrant  and  his  hutcd  otfspring. 

2.  The  people  of  Rome  were  wrought  up  to  great  indignation  by 
this  outrage.  Tarquin  was  absent,  and  they  shut  the  gates  of  the 
city.     The  bloody  corpse  of  Lucretia  was  exposed  to  public  view, 


5.  6.  Wt.at  happened  at  the  8ie£;e  of  Arilea?    How  was  the  superiority  of  Lucretia 
proved  ? 

XV.  -\.  What  efTect  did  the  beauty  of  Lucretia  have  upon  Sextus?    What  was  the 
fiite  of  Lucretia  1     How  did  Brutus  behave  ?    2.  What  was  the  conduct  of  t.ie  Romans  I 


COVER   MENT  OF  ROME  UNDER  THE  KLNGS 


31 


tnd  Brutus  harangued  the  people,  explaining  the  reasons  why  he  had 
oounterfeited  his  idiocy,  and  exhorted  them  to  aid  him  in  expelling 
ihe  tyrant. 

3.  The  senate  declared  Tarquin  to  be  expelled  from  the  throne. 
The  people  were  called  together  in  the  Field  of  Mars,  to  form  a  new 
government.  It  was  resolved  that  there  should  be  no  more  kings  of 
Rome,  and  that  two  chief  magistrates  should  be  elected  annually, 
with  the  title  of  Consuls.  This  important  revolution  in  the  Roman 
gr;vernment  took  place  B.  C.  508. 

4.  With  this  change  many  of  the  laws  of  King  Servius,  which 
Tarquin  the  Proud  had  overthrown,  were  restored.  The  commoners 
also  chose  their  own  judges  to  try  suits  at  law,  and  they  had  again 
their  meetings  and  sacrifices,  each  tribe  in  its  own  district.  Brutus 
and  Publius  A^alerius  were  the  first  consuls. 

5.  But  in  the  mean  while  Tarquin  was  busily  at  work  attempting 
to  regain  his  authority.  He  sent  emissaries  privately  to  Rome,  who 
organized  a  conspiracy  in  his  favor.  Titus  and  Tiberius,  the  sons 
of  Brutus,  were  among  the  conspirators.  Their  proceedings  were 
discovered  by  a  slave  who  overheard  them  talking  about  the  letters 
which  they  had  written  to  Tarquin,  and  they  were  immediately 
arrested. 

6.  Brutus  sat  on  the  judgment-seat  in  the  forum,  and  with  the 
feelings  of  stern  patriotism,  ordered  the  execution  of  his  own  sons. 
The  lictors  struck  off  their  heads  before  the  eyes  of  their  father. 
The  people  were  filled  with  admiration  when  they  saw  that  Brut* 
had  loved  justice  and  his  country  more  than  his  own  children,  and 
had  sacrificed  them  to  the  public  welfare. 


V 


CHAPTER   XVL 


Government  of  Rome  under  the  Kings. 

1.  The  regal  oflice  at  Rome  very  much  resembled  that  of  the 
heroic  ages  of  Greece  ;  but  it  differed  from  it  in  being  elective,  and 
not  hereditary.  The  king  had  the  absolute  command  of  the  army. 
He  offered  sacrifices  for  the  nation.  He  convoked  the  senate  and  the 
[.eople,  and  proposed  laws  to  them. 

2.  He  could  punish  by  fines  and  corporal  penalties ;  but  an  appeal 
lay  from  his  sentence  to  the  citizens.  He  had  an  unlimited  power 
over  strangers  in  the  Roman  territories,  as  well  as  over  those  citizens 
who  had  no  houses.  He  sat  personally  for  the  administration  of 
justice  every  ninth  day.  He  could  dispose  of  the  booty  and  the  land 
acquired  in  war,  and  a  large  portion  o{  the  conquered  territory 
belonged  to  the  crown.  This  was  cultivated  by  the  king's  depend 
ants,  and  yielded  him  a  large  revenue. 


3.  Of  the  senate  ?     What  new  magistrates  were  next  chosen  7    When  did  this  chanee  in 
llie  government  take   place?    4.  VV^ hat  alteration  did  this  cause  in  the  laws?     Who 
Hrere  the  first  consids  ?    5.  What  was  done  by  Tar(]uin'-    Wiio  were  engaged  in  the  ccn 
epiracy  f    How  was  it  discovered  .*    fj.  How  did  Bru't  s  judce  his  sons  ? 
JCVI.  —  1.  What  was  the    regal  ofiice  at  Rome  5    2.  W^hat   power   liad  the  kiipgl 


sz 


JUVERNMENT  OF  ROME  UNDER  THE  KINGS. 


3.  All  the  Roman  kin^rs,  after  they  had  suhdiied  a  city,  transportoa 
a  part  of  the  inhabitants  to  Home,  and  if  th^^y  did  not  destroy  the 
fcuhjup:ated  place,  they  fjarrisoned  it  with  a  Roman  colony.  "Thfc 
strangers  thus  hroufrht  to  Rome  were  not,  hoy.e\er,  admitted  to  the 
civic  rights  of  the  kingdom. 

4.  By  successive  conquests  and  immigratii.ns,  I  he  nunjber  of  per- 
sons thus  disqualified  hecnme  larger  than  that  of  the  first  inh  J)itant8, 
and  they  naturally  sought  a  share  in  the  government,  t(/  ))rotect  their 
persons  and  pioperty.  This  subsequently  led  to  violent  stiuggles  in 
(he  state. 

5.  The  inhabitants  of  the  city  were  first  divided  by  Romulus  into 
Uiirty  curm^  and  each  curia  comprised   ten  }X€nt(s^  or  associations 
The  members  were  united  by  certain  laws  called  jura  gmtium.     The 
head  of  each  jr.m  was  regarded  as  a  kind  of  father,  and  possessed  a 
paternal  authority  over  the  members. 

6.  In  each  gens  were  attached  numbers  of  dependents,  called 
fhmis.  These  were  generally  foreigners  who  came  to  settle  at 
Rome,  and  who,  not  possessing  municipal  rights,  were  forced  to 
appear  in  the  courts  of  law,  &c.,  by  proxy.  In  process  of  lime,  'his 
relation  assumed  a  feudal  form,  and  the  clients  were  bound  to  the 
same  duties  as  vassals  in  the  middle  ages. 

7.  The  chiefs  of  the  geiites  composed  the  senate,  and  hence  were 
called  'pcdres.KiX  "fathers."  In  the  time  of  Romulus,  the  senate 
consisted  at  first  of  one  hundred  members,  but  this  number  was 
:loubled  after  the  union  with  llie  Sabines.  The  i^cnivs  were  not  onlv 
represented  in  the  senate,  but  met  also  in  a  public  tissembly  called 
umutia  curiata.  In  these  meetings,  the  kings  were  elected  and 
invested  with  royal  authority. 

8.  The  whole  constitution  was  remodelled  bv  Scrvius  Tullius,  and 
a  more  liberal  form  of  government  introduced'.  He  formed  the  ple- 
beians into  an  organized  body,  and  invested  them  with  political  rights. 
Still  more  remarkable  was  the  institution  of  the  census,  and  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  people  into  classes  and  centuries  proportionate  to  their 
wealth. 

9.  The  census  was  a  periodical  valuation  of  all  the  property 
possessed  by  the  citizens,  and  an  enumeration  of  all  the  subjects  of  the 
state.  The  equestrian  rank,  or  the  knights,  constituted  an  order  in 
the  Roman  state,  from  the  beginning.  It  was  at  first  confined  to  the 
nobihty,  and  none  but  the  patricians  had  the  privilege  of  thus  ser\in-> 
m  the  army  on  horseback.  But  in  the  later  ages,  it  became  a  political 
dignity,  and  persons  were  made  knights  by  the  amount  of  theu 
wealth. 


i  Hovv  diJ  the  kin-.s  improve  Iheir  conquests?  How  were  ihe  new  cilizen.s  circunv 
nanced?  4.  What  were  .he,r  numl^r.  ?  What  was  the  consecjuence?  f,.  How  weri 
l..e  Romans  originally  dm.ieil  ?  What  names  were  given  to  the  divisions  ?  6  Who 
"^^  if /k'-'c"-  ^^S^ff."'''"^  'Th*  comitiai  8.  H<.w  was  the  coratiluiioo 
re  nwJalled  by  Serv.ua  1    9    Whai  was  the  cenaua  ?     Who  were  ihe  krighU? 


CUSTOMS  IN   FuUNDlx^ 

c 


ES. 


33 


CHAPTER  /XVIlA 
^    -      A 
Ancient  iComan  Armies —  Customs  in  Fa  nding  Cities. 

1.  Rome  was,  from  its  very  beginning,  a  military  state.  Witlk 
Liis  people, -iis  with  the  Spartans,  all  civil  institutions  had  a  refer- 
ence to  warlike  afibirs.  The  public  assemblies  were  marshalled  like 
armies.  The  order  of  their  line  of  battle  was  regulated  by  the  dis- 
tinction of  classes  in  civil  society.  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  the 
tactics  of  the  Roman  armies  should  receive  important  changes  with 
the  political  revolutions  of  the  state. 

2.  The  strength  a*"  the  Etruscan  armies  consisted  principally  in 
their  cavalry  ;  and  if  wc  may  judge  from  the  importance  attributed  to 
the  equestrian  rank  in  the  earliest  ages,  the  Romans  at  that  time 
esteemed  this  fi)rce  equally  valuable.  It  was  to  Servius  Tullius,  the 
great  patron  of  the  commonalty,  that  they  were  indebted  for  a  body 
of  infantry,  which,  after  a  lapse  of  centuries,  received  so  many 
improvements  that  it  became  invincible. 

3.  The  ancient  battle-array  of  the  Greeks  was  the  phalanx.  The 
troops  were  drawn  up  in  close  column,  the  best  armed  being  in  front. 
The  Romans  originally  used  this  form,  the  lines  being  made  up 
according  to  the  classes  of  subjects.  Those  who  were  rich  enough 
to  purchase  a  whole  suit  of  armor,  formed  the  front  ranks.  Those 
who  could  procure  only  a  portion  of  the  defensive  weapons,  filled  the 
centre.  The  rear  ranks  comprised  the  poorer  classes,  who  scarcely 
required  any  armor,  being  protected  by  the  lines  in  front. 

1.  It  is  not  known  what  commander  first  abandoned  this  imperfect 
array  for  the  admirable  order  of  the  I  gion ;  Init  this  great  improve- 
ment in  the  art  of  war  belongs  doubtless  to  the  republic. 

5.  Rome  was  originally  built  in  a  square  form,  whence  it  was 
called  Roma  Quadrata.  When  the  city  was  founded,  and  when  it 
was  at  any  subsequent  period  enlarged,  the  first  care  was  to  mark  out 
the  Pomxrium^a  consecrated  space  around  the  walls  of  the  city.  On 
this  it  was  unlawful  to  erect  any  building. 

6.  This  custom  manifestly  arose  from  the  necessity  of  preventing 
besiegers  from  finding  shelter  near  the  fortifications.  A  set  form 
was  prescribed  for  marking  the  Pomcerium.  A  bullock  and  a  heifer 
were  yoked  to  a  ploughshare,  and  a  furrow  was  drawn  marking  the 
course  of  the  future  wall. 

7.  The  plough  was  so  guided  that  all  the  sods  fell  to  the  inside, 
ai^d  if  any  went  in  an  opposite  direction,  care  was  taken  that  they 
should  be  turned  the  proper  way.  As  the  plough  was  sacred,  il 
would  have  been  profanation  if  anything  impure  passed  over  the 
ground  which  it  had  ever  touched. 

8.  But  as  things  clean  and  unclean  must  necessarily  pass  into  a 
cily,  when  the  plough  came  to  a  place  where  a  gate  was  intended,  it 

XVH.  —  I.  What  was  the  oriel  nal  characirr  of  Rf)me  ?  2.  What  is  said  of  the  Etru» 
jan  armies?  Who  created  the  Roman  infantry  ?  3.  What  was  the  phalanx  ?  How  did 
Ihe  Romans  form  it?  4.  How  (hd  the  lenion  originate?  5,  How  was  Rome  orieirally 
built?     What  was  the  ounuErium]    G.   What  cave  rise  to  this  custom?    7.  How  vm 

3 


34 


LITERATURE  OF  THE  ROMANS. 


was  taken  up  and  carried  across.     Hence  the  Latins  named  a  gai« 
porta,  from  a  word  signifying  to  "  carry." 

9.  Tlie  comi/iiim,  or  place  of  public  assembly,  was  next  conse- 
crated. The  most  remarkable  part  of  this  ceremony  was  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  vault  named  inundus^  in  which  were  deposited  the  first 
fruits  of  all  things  used  to  support  life,  and  a  portion  of  each  colo- 
nist's  native  earth. 

10.  To  this  structure,  many  superstitious  notions  were  attached. 
It  was  supposed  to  be  the  entrance  to  the  invisible  world  ;  and  it  waa 
opened  three  days  in  the  year,  with  many  solemn  forms,  to  admit  the 
spirits  of  the  deceased. 

11.  Ancus  Martins  was  the  ..rst  who  fortified  Rome  with  out- 
works, especially  by  erecting  a  castle  on  the  Janiculine  Hill,  which 
was  connected  with  the  city  by  a  wooden  bridge.  The  elder  Tar- 
quin  Wis  tlio  first  who  beautified  his  capital  with  splendid  buildings. 


CHAPTER   XVni. 

Literature  of  the  Romans  under  the  Kings, 

1.  Few  nations  have  been  more  completely  illiterate  than  the 
Romans  were  during  five  centuries  from  the  foundation  of  tlieir  city. 
Yet  of  all  the  nations  which  have  figured  in  the  annals  of  the  world, 
none  certainl>  ever  attained  to  the  same  height  of  power,  grandeur 
and  civil  wisdom,  with  an  equal  ignorance  of  literature  and  the  fine 
arts. 

2.  It  is  not  difiicult  to  account  for  this.  Rome  was  not  a  regular 
colony  sent  out  from  a  civilized  and  well-regulated  state,  but  wa;. 
formed  by  a  mixture  of  all  sorts  of  people,  little,  if  at  all,  acquainted 
with  social  life.  The  early  Romans  were,  in  fact,  a  banditti,  inured 
to  lawless  acts,  and  subsisting  by  rapine. 

3.  This  desperate  community  would  not  be  much  softened  or  hu- 
manized by  their  union  with  the  Sabines,  if  we  may  judge  of  the 
civilization  of  the  latter  people  by  the  story  of  Tarpeia.  Numa  did 
much  for  the  domestic  improvement  of  his  subjects.  He  impressed 
their  minds  with  a  reverence  for  religion,  and  encouraged  agriculture, 
but  there  was  no  germ  of  literature  which  he  could  foster. 

4.  For  more  than  three  centuries  after  his  death,  the  persevering; 
hostilities  of  the  neighboring  states  scarcely  allowed  the  Romans  a 
moment  of  repose.  The  laws  of  Romulus,  which  consigned,  as  igno- 
minious, all  sedentary  occupations  to  foreigneis  or  slaves,  lonf^  con- 
tinued in  undiminished  respect  and  observance. 

5.  The  shape  in  which  literature  first  appears  among  a  nide  people 
is  poetry  ;  but   for  centuries,   the  Romans  had  nothing  which  cao 


It  cekbnifed  1  8.  Why  was  a  gate  called  porta  ?  9.  What  of  ilie  camifium  ?  10.  Thi« 
munduaf  U.  Who  first  built  outworks  to  Rome?  Who  erecieil  the  first  splendid 
buildings? 

XVIIl.  — 1  What  waa  the  slate  of  literature  amorg  the  early  Romans?  2.  How  \n 
this  explained  ?  3.  What  of  the  Sahines?  Of  Nunr.a  ?  4.  What  of  the  hostilities  of 
'i>«  Romaiis  ?    Of  the  laws  of  Romulus  ?    5.   How  d^ea  literal u re  first  ipi>ear1     Whjf 


^\AR  OF  PORSfiiVJSA. 


35 


properly  be  called  by  this  name.  The  earliest  specimen  of  their 
verse  is  a  hymn  which  was  chanted  by  the  Fr aires  Arvales,  or  college 
of  priests,  as  they  walked  in  procession  through  the  fields  in  the 
beginning  of  spring,  imploring  from  the  gods  a  blessing  on  agricul- 
ture. 

6.  Some  suppose  this  to  be  as  ancient  as  the  time  of  Romulus  ;  the 
Latin  of  It  IS  rude,  and  difiicuU  of  translation.  The  following  is  the 
sense  • 

Ve  Lares,  aid  us !  Mars,  thou  god  of  miglit ! 

From  murrain  shield  the  flocks  ;  the  flowers  from  blight. 

For  thee,  O  Mars !  a  feast  shall  he  prepared 

Salt,  and  a  weihcr  chosen  from  the  herd, 

Invite  hv  turns  each  Demigod  of  Spring  ; 

Great  Mars,  assist  us  ;  Triumph !  Triumph .  sing ! 

7.  The  Fesccnnine  verses  appear  to  have  been  known  to  the 
Romans  at  'a,  very  early  period.  These  were  rude  and  satirical 
strains  rehearsed  by  the  Etruscans  at  certain  festivals  in  the  time  of 
harvest,  and  accompanied  with  rustic  gestures  and  dances.  Their 
name  was  probably  derived  from  Fescennium,  a  city  of  Etruria. 

8.  They  were  also  called  Saturnian,  from  the  irregularity  of  their 
metre,  or  their  freedom  from  definite  rules  of  composition.  They 
were  of  a  very  licentious  character,  which  it  became  necessary  to 
restrain  by  law.  Traces  of  this  sort  of  poetry  were  retained  in  the 
hwsi  periods  of  ancient  Rome,  in  the  songs  of  the  young  men  on 
nuptial  occasions. 


SECOND    PERIOD. 


THE     REPUBLIC. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

War  of  Forse)i?ia. 

1.  When  Tarouin  found  that  his  plot  had  miscarried,  he  persuaded 
wwne  of  the  Pkruscans  to  attempt  his  restoration  by  force  of  arms 
They  assembled  a  body  of  soldiers,  and  Tarquin  took  the  command. 
Hrntus  led  a  Roman  army  to  meet  them.  Aruns,  the  son  of  Tarquin, 
who  commanded  the  Etruscan  cavalry,  being  in  the  vanguard,  chanced 
to  encounter  Brutus,  who  was  leading  the  advance  body  of  the  Ro- 
man?. 


Aruns,  seeing  Rrutus  in  his  consular  robes,  and  with  the  J'ctors 
of  a  king  around  him,  was  inflamed  with  sudden  anger.     He  levelled 


.s  ihe  earliest  specimen  of  Roman  verse?    6.  AVhat  is  its  age?    7,  8.  What  are  the 
fwcennme  verses?  ^ 

XIX.  —  I.  What  did  Tarquin  after  the  failure  of  his  plot  ?    What  of  Britus  ?   2.  What 


36 


IMUCIUS  SCiEVOLA 


:^rJh;"n  :.o^!'  TVt'-rengaUent  foUowL.  ..U  the  vicU.rv 

'i'"!n  Ih  "Sle'ol- "the  night  after  the  battle,  there  came  a  n.yste. 
riot  v"o,ce  or;.;  a  wood  ...Sr  the  two  a™'-' F-l-"'%^  f^a  h^ 
I.-.r„«/-nns  hnd  lost  one  man  more  than  the  Romans.  At  this  soiimi. 
I^r^  rans  who  were  very  superstitious,  were  struck  with  awes 
and  fmSnu^iy  n-Xed  hoi.  'Perhaps  the  voice  wa.  a  stratagem 

"^'TiSrTelt'lvmg  consul,  administered  his  authority  with 
such  popufi;!  applause,  U./he  received  the  ^-^^^J'^^'^^l^Z 
Friend  if  the  Rople.     Tarquin,  however  ;^7  ""^^f^''^^^^^^;^  L  . 
ri.miiim    a  city  in  the  most  distant  part  of  tAruria,  anu  e'V'V" 
£.  Po^enni^t^o  assist  him.     A  large  army  was  raised,  and  Porscnnu 

.•Inselv  that  the  latter  had  hardly  time  to  escape.  . 

0    A  Roman,  named  lloralius  Cocles,  stood  firm  upon  the  bridge 
andfacedr  enemy.     Two  others,  incited  by  his  example,  stood  by 
hm,td  thete  thre'e  kept  the  pursuers  at  bay  w^ile  the  Romans  ^ 
their  own  side  were  cutting  away  the  bridge.     Horatius,  hnUing  liu 
companions  disabled,  bade  them  save  themselves. 

Ttuis  he  stood  single-handed,  defying  the  whcde  fo^e  "J J^"  <= 
F.truscans,  who  showered  their  javelins  upon  his  ^.h'«W.  ^  '^"^  j 
finding  the  brid<Te  nearly  cut  away,  he  leaped  into  the  ri\er  .u  <l 
svvarsafWv  to  tl'e  shore.  For  this  gallant  act  lie  was  afterward, 
honored  will,  a  statue  in  the  forum,  and  a  gift  of  as  much  1-u.d  a., 
he  could  draw  a  plough  round  in  the  <:ourse  ol  a  day. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Mucins  Scwvola  —  Battle  of  Regillus. 

1    f?uT  Rome,  although  saved  from  this  assault,  was  not  yet  safe 
The  Etruscans  pressed  the  siege,  and  the  people  of  the  .ity  suffered 
from  famine.     At  length,  a  young  man  named  Mucins  resolved  to 
is^inale  Porsenna.^  He  ''•W"-;''  himself  as  a  pea^nt    crossed 
tlie  river  into  the  enemy's  camp,  and  looked  about  for  the  king. 

2.  Seeing  a  man  sitting  on  a  lofty  seat,  wearing  a  scarlet  robe 
^,«l  many  people  coming  and  going  about  bim,  he  had  no  doubt  tlial 
•Ms  was  Porsenna.     He  pushed  through  the  crowd,  and  drawing  a 


•  •     .u     Ko.ti^i     1    Whit  in  the  ni^'ht  follovsiiij; '/     4.  What  of  Valerius ?     Of 
?„T„Ta,'^5\'SVapSne^a^ru;rJi>•,cu:u^,.    6.   Wha.  of  Horati.s  Cocle. t 

'•ik".-TwharS'3rnrr'U-fRo:.-.e,    2.  Ho«  dl.  Muciu,  ..««<. 


BATTLE  OF  KEGILLU^:. 


a? 


flhH2:er  from  under  his  clothes,  stabbed  him  dead      But  on  being 
teiz'id,  he  discovered  tliat  this  was  only  the  king's  secretary. 

3.  Mucius  was  carried  before  the  king,  and  threatened  with  the 
torture,  unless  he  would  tell  all  he  knew  of  the  condition  of  the  Ro- 
mans. Hut  he  defied  their  threats,  and  to  show  how  little  he  feared 
the  torture,  he  thrust  his  right  hand  into  a  fire  that  was  burning  near 
by,  and  held  it  there  without  flinching,  till  it  was  burnt  off. 

4.  Porsenna,  in  admiration  of  his  courage,  gave  him  his  liberty; 
but  Mucius  told  him  that  there  were  three  hundred  young  men  in 
Home  who  had  bound  themselves  by  oath  to  take  his  life.  The 
king,  heUeving  this  talc,  was  greatly  alarmed,  and  made  proposals  of 
peace  to  the  Romans.  A  treaty  was  concluded,  and  the  Etruscans 
marched  home. 

5.  Such  is  the  story  related  in  the  Roman  annals.  Nevertheless, 
there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  Porsenna  captuied  Rome,  and 
comj)eried  the  inhabitants  to  give  up  all  their  arms.  The  legend  of 
Mucius  appears  to  be  little  more  than  a  romance  invented  by  the  Ro- 
mans to  disguise  the  mortifying  fact  of  the  surrender  of  their  city. 

6.  A  new  war  was  afterwards  excited  by  the  Tarquins,  and  Pos- 
ihumius  was  appointed  dictator.  The  Romans  and  Latin  armies  met 
near  the  lake  Regillus.  After  an  obstinate  battle  neither  side  pre- 
vailed, and  it  was  agreed  to  decide  the  struggle  by  single  combat. 
Two  champions  took  the  field  ;  but  the  only  result  was  that  both 
were  wounded  and  thrown  from  their  horses. 

7.  The  battle,  therefore,  began  again  ;  the  Romans  had  the  worst, 
and  began  to  fly.  In  this  critical  emergency  the  dictator  made  a  vow 
that  he  would  raise  a  temple  to  the  twin  gods,  Castor  and  Pollux,  if 
they  would  aid  him.  Suddenly,  as  we  are  told,  nj)peared  two  horse- 
men of  gigantic  height,  on  snow-white  steeds,  who  rode  at  the  head 
of  the  Roman  cavalry,  and  jjut  the  enemy  to  flight. 

8.  The  Romans  pursued  the  flying  Latins  to  their  camp.  After 
tlijs  was  taken  and  a  full  \-ictory  accomplished,  they  looked  for  the 
white  horsemen,  but  they  were  nowhere  to  be  seen.  On  a  hard 
black  rock  close  by,  was  discovered  the  deep  mark  of  a  horse's  hoof, 
which  it  was  thought  no  earthly  animal  could  have  made.  This 
hoof-mark  was  still  to  be  seen  in  the  time  of  Cicero,  more  than  four 
hundred  years  afterward. 

9.  We  must  relate  the  sequel  of  this  wonderful  story,  as  the 
Romans  for  many  ages  believed  every  word  of  it.  During  the  bat- 
tle, the  people  ol"  Rome,  who  knew  that  the  armies  were  engaged  at 
a  distance  from  the  city,  were  in  great  anxiety  to  know  the  result 
^.s  the  sun  was  going  down,  the  two  horsemen  made  their  appear- 
ance in  the  forum.  They  were  all  bloody  from  the  engagement, 
and  their  horses  were  covered  with  foam. 

10.  The  horsemen  alighted  near  the  temple  of  Vesta,  where  a 
sjjring  of  •  ,*tcr  bubbles  up  from  the  ground,  and  fills  a  deep  pool. 
There  th^y  washed  aw^ay  the  stains  of  the  conflict,  and  the  people 
crowded  around  them,  asking  the  news.     The  horsemen  told  tiiera 


In  bis  attempt  ?  2.  How  did  he  behave  in  the  presence  of  Porsenna?  4.  How  did  Por- 
Benna  beluwe?  5.  What  is  the  pr(»lKihle  truth  of  the  story?  6.  What  new  war  broke 
out?    7.  What  happened  at  the  lake  of  Regillus?    S.  What  is  the  story  of  the  whit# 

i 


38 


INTERxVAL  TROUBLES  AT  ROMt. 


how  the  battle  had  been  fought  and  won  by  the  RomAfts;  then 
mounting  their  steeds,  suddenly  disappeared.  The  people  believiMl 
them  to  be  Castor  and  Pollux,  and  built  them  a  temple,  according  to 
the  vow  of  the  dictator. 

11.  The  Latins  were  now  completely  subjugated.  But  no  sooner 
were  the  Romans  reheved  from  the  fear  of  foreign  enemies,  than  tliey 
began  to  have  troubles  at  home.  The  patricians  and  the  plebe 
ians  formed  two  parties,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  disturbances  occa- 
sioned by  their  disagreement,  the  V^olscians,  the  Sabines,  and  tne 
Hernici,  took  up  arms  and  advanced  to  the  gates  of  the  city.  This 
attack  was  repelled,  but  the  war  continued,  and  before  long  a  critical 
.*,onjuncture  of  affairs  led  to  an  important  change  in  the  common- 
A^ealth. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

Internal  Troubles  at  Rome, 

1.  At  Rome,  as  in  the  ancient  world  in  general,  the  laws  regulat- 
ing the  payment  of  debts  were  very  severe.  A  person  wishing  to 
borrow  money,  pledged  himself  and  all  that  belonged  to  him,  before 
witnesses,  for  the  payment.  If  the  money  was  not  repaid  at  the 
appointed  time,  the  debtor  was  carried  before  the  praetor,  who  sen 
tenced  him  to  be  a  slave  to  liis  creditor. 

2.  Such  of  the  debtor's  children  and  grandchildren  as  were  still 
under  his  authority,  shared  his  fate.  The  rate  of  interest  was  un- 
limited by  law,  and  loans  were  usually  made  for  the  term  of  ten 
months,  at  the  end  of  which,  if  the  principal  was  not  repaid,  the  in- 
terest was  added  to  it.  By  this  process  of  compound  interest,  a 
small  debt  soon  rose  to  an  amount  impossible  to  be  paid. 

3.  The  creditors  were  generally  the  patricians,  the  debtors  were 
the  plebeians,  who  were  exclusively  devoted  to  agriculture.     The  pa 
tricians,  having  got  the  government  into  their  own  hands,  managed 
to  obtain  an  exemption  from  the  tithes  for  the  lands  which  they  held, 
and  by  this  means  grew  very  rich. 

4.  On  the  other  hand,  these  taxes  were  rigorously  exacted  from  the 
plebeians,  whose  little  farms,  lying  frequently  at  a  distance  from 
Koine,  were  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  the  enemy,  at  which  times 
their  houses  were  burnt,  their  cattle  carried  off,  and  their  farming 
implement?  acstroyed. 

5.  To  add  to  thise  distresses,  the  loss  of  the  territory  beyond  the 
Tiber  had  reduced  many  families  to  absolute  beggary,  and  the  patri- 
cians excluded  the  plebeians  from  the  public  pastures.  From  all 
these  causes  the  lower  classes  became  hopelessly  in  debt,  and  were 
driven  to  despair  by  the  rigor  of  their  creditors. 

6.  In  this  posture  of  affairs,  a  single  spark  kindled  a  great  confla 

horsemen?    9,  10.  What  happened  al  Rome  1     11.  What  look  place  afie-  the  subjug*- 
lioj\  of  the  Latins  ? 

UU.  —  1.  What  was  the  comlition  of  debtors  at  Rittne  ?    2.  What  was  the  rale  of  \w 
iCTMi?    3.  Whui  of  the  creditors?    4.  Tiie  plelieiaiw  ?    5.  Wl»>**  ska^  the  general  cob- 


HEVOLT  OF  THE  PLEBEIANS. 


39 


^ratlin.  During  the  consulship  of  Appius  Claudius  ai.d  Vubhua 
Ser^.Uus,  B.  C.  492,  one  day  an  old  man,  covered  with  rags  and 
filth,  pale,  emaciated,  and  frightful  from  his  squalid  hair  and  beard, 
rushed  into  the  forum,  imploring  the  aid  of  the  people. 

7.  He  exhibited  the  scars  of  the  wounds  which  he  had  received  in 
twer'y-eight  battles  with  the  enemies  of  Rome.  Several  persons 
reco;;nized  him  as  one  whom  they  had  known  for  a  gallant  captain  in 
the  army,  and  eagerly  inquired  the  cause  of  his  wretched  appearance. 

8.  He  informed  them  that  while  he  was  serving  in  the  Sabine  war., 
his  fann  had  been  plundered  and  his  house  burnt  by  the  enemy ;  the 
taxes  had  nevertheless  been  exacted  from  him,  he  had  been  obliged 
to  borrow  money  ;  compound  interest  had  eaten  up  all  his  property, 
and  the  sentence  of  the  law  had  given  him  and  his  two  sons  as  slaves 
to  his  creditor.  He  then  bared  his  back  and  showed  the  marks  of 
recent  stripes  he  had  received  as  such. 


CHAPTER   XXll. 

Revolt  of  the  Plebeians, 

1  A  GENERAL  uproar  was  the  consequence  of  ibis  singular  exhi- 
bition. The  multitude  crowded  the  streets,  clamoring  for  relief:  the 
senators  were  struck  with  consternation,  and  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  a  sufficient  number  of  them  were  assembled  for  public  business. 
Appius  proposed  to  put  down  the  mob  by  force.  Servilius  was  for 
milder  courses  ;  and  at  this  moment  news  arrived  that  the  Volscians 
were  in  arms  against  Rome. 

2.  This  intellio-ence  was  received  with  great  exultation  by  tht" 
lower  classes.  They  refused  to  enlist  for  the  war,  and  cried  out  tha: 
the  patricians  might  go  and  fight  their  own  battles.  The  senate  em- 
powered Servilius  to  treat  with  them.  He  issued  an  edict  proclaim 
ing  that  no  one  who  was  in  slavery  for  debt  should  be  preventei 
frouf  serving  in  the  army  if  he  chose,  and  that  as  long  as  a  man  wa: 
under  arms,  no  one  should  touch  his  property,  or  keep  his  childreri 
in  bondage. 

3.  This  had  the  desired  effect ;  the  debtors  came  out  of  their  dun- 
geons and  joined  the  ranks.  A  large  army  took  the  field  under  the 
command  of  Servilius,  the  Volscians  were  defeated,  their  town  of 
SuPKi?a  Pometia  was  taken,  and  the  plunder  given  up  to  the  army. 
T'he  consul  led  home  his  victorious  troops,  full  of  hope  ;  but  a  bitten 
disapj)ointment  awaited  all,  when  the  iron-hearted  Appius  ordered 
the  dehtors  back  to  their  prisons. 

4.  Dreadful  clamors  and  disturbances  ensued,  and  the  next  attempt 
to  raise  an  army  was  fruhless.     The  people  held  nocturnal  meetings 

dilion  of  U.e  lower  classes?    6.  What  happened  B.  C.  492?    7,  8,  What  was  the  story 
of  the  old  man? 

XXII.  — L  What  was  the  consetpience  of  the  exhibition  in  the  forum?     What  new 
war  broke  out  ?     2.  How  did  iliis  alfeci  the  lower  classes  ?     What  was  done  by  the  sen 
ale?    3.  How  were  the  debtors  alTected  ?     H"w  did  the  war  against  ine  Volscians  sue- 
cee^l?    What  was  the  conduri  of  Appius''     1  What  was  the  hehav.orof  the  people' 


40 


ME.NE.'S'US  AGRIPPA. 


on  the  Aventine  and  Esquiline  hills,  to  cor  cert  measures  of  rcsisr 
ance.     In  this  emergency  Marcus  Valerius  was  appointed  dictator 

5.  He  issued  an  edict  similar  to  that  of  Servihus ;  the  people,  with 
whom  he  was  a  favorite,  readily  enlisted  ;  the  armies  marched  against 
the  Sabines,  the  Volscians  and  the  -^i^quians.  Victory  was  every- 
where with  the  Romans  Valerius,  on  his  return,  attempted  to  pro- 
cure a  redress  of  the  popular  grievances  from  the  senate,  but  in  vain. 

6.  The  plebeians,  seeing  no  chance  of  legal  relief,  withdrew  from 
the  city;  a  portion  took  post  on  a  hill  about  three  miles  distant, 
others  oc(  upied  the  Aventine  hill,  and  everything  threatened  blood 
ihed  and  civil  war. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Menenius  Agrippa. 

1.  Both  the  patricians  and  plebeians  were  aware  that  the  issue 
of  their  conflict  was  doubtful,  and  that  the  enemy  might  take  advan- 
tage of  these  intestine  troubles  to  accomplish  the  ruin  of  Rome.  A 
mutual  wish  for  accommodation  therefore  prevailed ;  and  the  patri- 
cians, having  strengthened  themselves  by  an  alliance  with  the  Latins, 
deputed  ten  senators  to  visit  the  plebeian  camp  and  propose  terms  of 
peace. 

2.  One  of  these,  named  Menenius  Agrippa,  addressed  on  this 
occasion  the  following  apologue  to  the  people.  **  In  ancient  times, 
when  the  human  body  was  not,  as  at  present,  an  individual  whole, 
but  every  member  had  its  own  separate  plans,  purposes,  will,  and 
language,  it  happened  that  on  a  certain  emergency  the  limbs  fell  into 
a  quarrel  with  the  stomach. 

3.  "  They  complained  that  this  member  remained  idle  in  the  midsi 
of  them,  doing  nothing  but  enjoying  itself.  To  gratify  their  eumity, 
they  agreed  that  they  would  no  longer  labor  for  it.  The  hands  there- 
fore refused  to  convey  food  to  the  mouth  ;  the  mouth  refused  to 
open,  the  teeth  to  chew,  &c. 

4.  *' But  while  they  thus  attempted  to  starve  the  stomach,  they 
weie  starving  themselves ;  and  when  they  were  reduced  to  the  most 
deplorable  state  of  feebleness,  they  discovered  that  the  stomach  is  by 
no  means  useless ;  that  it  gives  as  well  as  receives  nourishment,  dis- 
tributing to  all  parts  of  the  body,  life  and  health." 

5.  Having  propounded  this  fable,  the  design  of  which  was  to  show 
that  all  classes  of  people  are  useful  and  necessary  to  each  other  in  a 
state,  Menenius  and  his  colleagues  proceeded  to  treat  with  the  peo- 
ple, and  an  agreement  was  soon  made  and  sworn  to  by  the  two  orders. 

G.  By  this  treaty  all  existing  debts  were  cancelled,  artd  all  persons 
in  slavery  for  debt  were  liberated.     The    plebeians  having  offered 
sacrifices  to  Jupiter  m  the  hill  where  they  had  encamped,  bestowed 
upon  it  the  name  of  the  Sacred  Mount,  and  returned  to  their  dwell 
injjs  in  the  citv. 


vVho  was  made  dictator?    5.  How  did  he  conduct  the  war?    6.    M\\9l  was  done  by  Iht 
piebciana  ? 

XXIII.  — 1.  What  was  done  by  the  patricians  and  piebciana?  2,  3.  -1.  lidate  the  fa 
ble  of  Menenius  Agrippa.  •?  VVhat  followed?  6.  What  was  the  character  and  effect 
of  tht  ireaiY  ?     VV'liaL  aanio  was  given  to  the  hill  where  the  pev^ple  ewCdnipedl 


BANISHMENT  01    CORIOLANUS. 


42 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Banishment  of  Coriolanus, 

1.  The  neglect  of  agriculture,  occasioned  by  the  numerous  uars 
of  the  Romans,  caused  a  severe  famine.  Dislurbances  took  place  in 
consequence,  and  the  senate  and  people  became  highly  inflamed 
against  each  other.  At  length  a  supply  of  com  was  sent  to  Rome 
by  the  people  of  Sicily,  as  the  American  people  lately  sent  corn  and 
flour  to  the  starving  Irish. 

2.  It  was  proposed  to  distribute  this  supply  at  once  among  the  peo- 
ple ;  but  this  was  opposed  by  Caius  Marcius,  a  senator  renowned  for 
his  bravery,  who  had  received  the  surname  of  Coriolanus,  from  a 
famous  exploit  in  capturing  the  town  of  Corioli.  This  man  disliked 
the  commons,  and  was  angry  that  they  had  got  tribunes  to  be  their 
leaders. 

3.  Coriolanus  made  insulting  speeches  against  the  commons.  "  If 
they  want  bread  to  eat,"  said  he,  "  let  them  behave  better,  and  give 
up  their  tribunes.  We  will  then  give  them  corn,  and  take  care  of 
them."  The  commons,  when  they  heard  this,  were  quite  furious, 
and  they  would  have  fallen  upon  him  in  the  street  and  torn  him  to 
pieces ;  but  the  tribunes  withheld  them,  and  promised  to  bring  an 
accusation  against  Coriolanus. 

4.  They  accordingly  indicted  him  on  a  charge  of  aspiring  to  the 
bovereign  authority.  Coriolanus  was  banished  from  Rome,  and  took 
refuge  among  the  Volscians.  They  received  him  kindly,  and  Attius 
Tullius,  their  chief  man,  took  him  into  his  house.  Here  he  lived  in 
exile ;  his  wife,  Veturia,  and  his  mother,  Volumnia,  remaining  at 
Rome. 

5.  The  Volscians  before  long  became  involved  in  a  war  with  the 
Romans.  They  raised  a  large  army,  and  marched  under  the  guidance 
of  Tullius  and  Coriolanus,  and  laid  waste  the  Roman  territories.  They 
met  with  success  everywhere,  but  devastated  only  the  lands  belong- 
ing to  the  commons.  They  next  surrounded  the  city,  and  closely 
besieged  it. 

6.  Within  the  walls  there  was  no'.hing  but  tumult,  distress,  and 
lamentation.  The  women  ran  to  the  temples  of  the  gods  to  pray  for 
mercy ;  the  poor  people  cried  out  ir  the  streets  for  peace,  and  at 
length  the  senate  were  compelled  to  appoint  deputies  to  treat  with 
the  enemy. 

7.  Coriolanus  received  the  deputiee  and  answered  them  thus :  — 
*'  We  will  give  you  no  peace  till  you  restore  to  the  Volscians  all  the 
territories  which  you  and  your  forefatl  ers  have  taken  (!i»m  them,  and 
till  you  have  granted  them  all  the  privileges  of  Roman  citizens." 


XXIV.  —  1.  What  caused  a  famine  at  Rome?    What  was  the  consequence?    Who 
supplied  the  Romans  with  corn?    2.  VVho  opposed  the  distribution  of  it  amon?  tlia 

r»ple?  3.  How  did  Coriolanus  treat  the  conunons  ?  What  was  the  consequence? 
To  what  city  did  Coriolanus  retire?  5,  What  happened  in  the  Volscian  var? 
6.  What  was  the  coiuliiion  of  Kome  ?  7.  How  did  Coriolanus  receive  tie  Roman  c«p» 
U»8?    8.   What  was  ilie  conduct  of  ibe  senate? 

4* 


42 


VETURIA  AND   VOLUMNIA. 


8.  The  senate  would  not  apjee  to  these  conditions,  and  sent  re- 
peated embassies  to  beg  for  milder  terms,  but  tlie  sturdy  Coriclanua 
sent  them  back  to  the  city.     Despair  now  began  to  seize  upon  thp 
Romans,  and  they  imagined  that  Coriolanus  intended  to  make  a  gen 
erai  massacre  of  his  countrymen.  /)  / 

CHAPTER  XXV.  ^ 

Veturia  and  Vohimnia, 

1.  At  length  it  was  determined,  as  a  last  resource,  to  send  a  dep- 
utation of  the  Roman  matrons,  attended  by  Veturia  and  Volumnia, 
with  the  children  of  Coriolanus.  It  was  a  sad  and  mournful  sijrht  to 
see  this  train  of  noble  ladies ;  the  very  Volscian  soldiers  stood  in  si- 

ence  as  they  passed  by,  and  pitied  and  honored  them. 

2.  They  found  Coriolanus  sitting  on  a  general's  seat  in  the  midst 
of  the  camp,  with  the  Volscian  chiefs  standing  round  him.  When 
he  saw  his  mother,  who  walked  at  the  head  of  the  train,  he  could 
not  contain  himself,  but  leaped  down  from  his  seat  and  ran  to  kiss 
her.  She  stopped  him  and  said,  "  Ere  thou  kiss  me,  let  mc  know 
whether  I  am  speaking  to  my  son  or  to  an  enemy,  —  whether  1  stand 
here  as  thy  prisoner  or  as  thy  mother." 


__  4-_  L.i-4 


"  ^^ 


'';sSr^%T»v'/v,""v,, 


*?.CcV/->S»,'» 


»v7>-3. 


Coriolanus  and  his  Mother. 

3.  Coriolanus,  in  astonishment  and  perplexity,  knew^  no  what  to 
reply  ,•  he  stood  in  silence,  and  she  continued,  "Must  it  ue  thus,  that 
Rome  would  have  escaped  the  .dishonor  of  beholding  an  enemy'a 


JCXV  —I.  W'hato  \"eturia  and  Volumnia  1    2.  Wliat  was  the  be^»  lorof  Coriolanua* 


DICTATORSHIP  OF  ClNCINiNATUS. 


43 


camp  at  her  walls,  had  I  never  borne  a  son?  —  that  if  I  ha4  remiined 
childless  I  should  have  died  a  free  woman  in  a  free  city?  But  I  an. 
too  old  to  bear  much  longer  either  thy  shame  or  my  misery.  Ix)ok 
upon  thy  wife  and  children,  whom  thou  art  dooming  to  death  or 
bondage." 

4.  Then  Veturia  and  the  children  approached  and  kissed  Coriolanus, 
and  all  the  noble  ladies  wept  and  bemoaned  their  fate.  At  last  Cori- 
olanus cried  out,  "  O,  mother!  what  hast  thou  done  to  me?"  and  ho 
wrung  his  hands  and  exclaimed  vehemently,  "  Mother,  thine  is  the 
victory ;  Rome  is  saved,  but  shame  and  ruin  await  thy  son." 

5.  Coriolanus  then,  embracing  his  wife  and  children,  sent  them 
back  to  Rome,  and  retreated  with  his  army.  He  never  afterwards 
made  w^ar  against  his  countrymen,  but  passed  his  life  in  exile  among 
the  Volscians.  Some  stories  relate  that  he  was  killed  by  them  in  a 
[K)pular  insurrection,  but  this  seems  to  be  only  a  romantic  embellish 
men*  of  the  history. 


CHAPTER 


XXVI 


0 


Dictatorship  of  Cincinnatus. 


Cincinnatus  called  from  the  Plough  to  take  command  of  the  Army. 

1.  The  anempts  of  the  people  to  procure  the  enactment  of  the 
aorarian  law,  by  which  it  was  proposed  to  divide  the  public  lands 
among  the  whole  po])ulation,  led  to  violent  factions  and  disturbances. 
Under  these  circumstances,  the  consuls  appointed  a  dictator  B.  C. 


3,  4.  Wlial  i)assed  between  him  aiul  his  mother  ?    5    What  was  the  result  of  the  eiD 


44 


MOUNT  ALGID  US. 


THE  DECEMVIRS. 


46 


458.     The  person  selected  was  Lucius  Quinlus,  who,  on  account  of 
Ills  lemarkable  shock-pate,  was  called  "  Cincinnatus,''  or  curly-head. 

2.  This  person  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city, 
and  was  ploughing  in  the  field  when  the  deputies  came  to  inform  him 
that  he  was  dictator  of  Rome.  He  immediately  assumed  the  author- 
ity, and  by  the  wisdom,  moderation  and  justice  of  liis  measures,  soon 
restored  tranquillity.  The  agrarian  law  was  postponed,  and  Cincin- 
natus  retired  to  his  farm 

3.  Not  long  after  this,  the  ^.quians  broke  the  treaty  which  they 
had  nr.ade  with  Rome,  invaded  the  territory  of  the  republic,  and 
intrenched  their  camp  on  Mount  Algidus.  The  Romans  sent  ambas- 
sadors to  complain  of  the  wrong.  Gracchus,  the  yEcjuian  leader, 
was  a  vain-glorious,  haughty  man,  and  received  them  in  his  lent, 
which  was  pitched  under  the  shade  of  an  oak. 

4.  He  answered  their  remonstrances  with  mockery.  "I  am 
busy,"  said  he,  '*  and  cannot  hear  you  ;  tell  your  message  to  iliis 
oak  tree."  One  of  the  Romans  immediately  answered,  "  Yea,  let 
this  sacred  oak  hear,  and  let  all  the  gods  hear,  how  treacherously 
you  have  broken  the  peace  !"  They  went  back  to  Rome,  and  war 
was  declared. 

5.  When  the  Roman  army  marched  out,  the  crafty  Gracchus 
retreated  before  them,  and  they  followed  him  heedlessly  till  he  had 
led  them  into  a  narrow  valley  with  hills  on  each  side,  high,  steep 
and  bare.  He  then  took  possession  of  the  defiles  in  front  and  rear 
of  the^  Romans,  and  covered  the  hills  right  and  left  with  his  troops. 

6.  The  Romans  thus  found  themselves  decoyed  into  a  trap  without 
the  power  of  advancing  or  retreating.  There  was  neither  food  for 
the  men,  nor  grass  for  the  horses  in  the  valley,  and  they  were  in 
danger  of  starving.  Fortunately  for  them,  however,  five  horsemen 
had  broken  out  before  the  rear  was  quite  closed  up,  and  these  escaped 
to  the  city  with  the  news  of  the  dangerous  condition  of  the  am  y. 


CHAPTER   XXVH. 

Mount  Algidtis. 

J  Upon  this  information,  the  senate  all  exclaimed,  "  There  u\  only 
one  man  who  can  save  us  ;  Cincinnatus  must  be  dictator."  Apain 
this  honest  farmer  was  invested  with  the  oiHce.  He  went  first  into 
the  forum,  and  ordered  every  man  to  shut  his  shop.  He  then  stopped 
rhe  courts  of  law,  and  gave  directions  that  no  man  should  attend  to 
liis  private  business  till  the  army  was  delivered. 

2.  Ever/  citizen  of  age  to  bear  arms  was  next  ordered  to  appear 
n  the  Field  of  Mars  before  sunset,  with  provisions  for  five  days,  and 


XXyi.  — 1.  What  was  the  agrarian  latpt  Who  was  made  dictator?  2.  How  wasi 
le  called  fmni  the  ploujrh?  3.  What  happened  with  the  jEquianal  4.  Hiw  did 
^icchus  treat  the  Roman  amliassadors  ?  5.  How  did  he  ensnare  the  Roman  armyl 
I    How  did  the  Romans  send  information  of 'his  to  the  city  ? 

CXVIL— I.  Who  waamade  lictator'    What  was  done  by  Cincinnatus?    2  HowdiJ 


/• 


t  doien  stout  stakes,  which  the  Romans  soldiers  always  u.sed  foi 
pitching  their  camp.  The  city  was  now  all  alive,  and  the  inhabitantf« 
in  every  quarter  were  cutting  down  trees  and  dressing  food. 

3.  At  sunset  all  was  ready,  and  the  army  left  Rome.  By  mid- 
night they  reached  Mount  Algidus;  and  Cincinnatus  ordered  the 
Koldiers  to  ihrow  down  their  baggage  in  a  pile,  but  to  keep  the  stakes. 
They  then  formed  into  a  long  column  and  completely  surrounded  the 
cnemv  on  the  mountain.  When  this  was  done,  a  signal  was  given, 
and  the  whole  army  set  up  a  tremendous  shout. 

4.  The  sound  echoed  through  the  camp  of  the  enemy  in  the  dead 
of  the  night,  and  filled  them  with  surprise  and  terror.  The  Romans 
in  the  valley  also  heard  it,  and  said  one  to  another,  "  Our  people 
have  come  to  help  us,  for  that  is  a  Roman  hurrah!"  So  they 
shouted  back  again,  and  began  to  assail  the  enemy. 

5.  In  the  mean  time  the  Romans  without  were  digging  a  vast 
ditch  round  the  mountain,  and  fencing  it  with  a  rampart  of  stakes 
and  turf.  When  the  morning  came,  the  astonished  ^quians  found 
themselves  completely  enclosed.  Unable  to  escape,  they  offered 
Cincinnatus  his  own  terms  ;  and  the  victorious  Romans  after  stripping 
their  enemies  of  their  arms,  baggage,  and  everything  valuable" 
marched  home  in  triumph. 

6.  Great  was  now  the  joy  in  Rome.  The  tables  were  set  out  at 
every  door  laden  with  meat  and  drink,  for  the  soldiers  and  the  people 
feasted  together.  Cincinnatus  was  hailed  as  the  father  and  pro- 
tector of  his  people,  and  they  gave  him  a  golden  crown.  After  he 
had  held  the  dictatorship  a  fortnight,  he  returned  again  to  his  plough. 


CHAPTER   XXVHI.    /^ 


The  Decemvirs, 


1.  After  this  the  agrarian  law  again  agitated  the  contending  fac- 
tions. Licinius  Dentatus,  a  plebeian ,  and  a  veteran  soldier  of  extraor- 
dinary bravery,  who  h,id  fought  in  a  hundred  and  twenty  battles, 
and  gained  all  kinds  of  military  honors,  pleaded  the  cause  of  the 
people.  The  law,  however,  was  violently  opposed  by  several  young 
patncians,  who  broke  the  balloting-urns  and  dispersed  the  multitude 
that  threatened  to  oppose  them. 

2.  Both  the  senate  and  the  people  at  length  became  weary  of  these 
endless  disputes,  and  all  parties  concurred  in  the  opinion'  that  the 
existing  evils  might  be  removed  by  the  enactment  of  a  body  of  whole- 
some laws.  Three  commissioners  were  accordingly  sent  to  Greece, 
B.  C.  451,  to  examine  the  legal  institutions  of  that  country,  and 
select  such  laws  as  were  suitable  to  the  Romans. 

3.  After  a  year's  absence,  they  returned  with  a  large  collection  of 

he  collect  an  army  ?  3.  How  d\\  they  surround  the  enemy  ?  4.  AVhat  was  done  by  the 
Romans  m  ijie  vaUey?  5.  Hw  were  the  .E<iuians  conquered?  6.  Describe  the 
rej<iicm?s  at  Rome. 

XXVIII.  -  I.  What  )f  Dentatus?    2.  What  was  done  to  stiile  the  diswnes?    When 


46 


THE  DECEMVIRS. 


Statutes,  which  being  digested  into  a  regular  code  with  some  addi 
lions,  were  called  the  Laws  of  the  Twelve  Tables ;  some  fragments  of 
these  remain  at  the  present  day. 

4.  In  order  to  carry  the  new  laws  into  effect,  ten  of  the  principal 
senators  were  appointed  with  a  power  equal  to  that  of  kings  and  con- 
suls. These  officers  were  named  decemvirs.  They  dischar^^ed  their 
duty  with  zeal  and  industry,  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  year  for 
which  they  had  been  appointed,  they  were  permitted  by  the  senate  to 
continue  in  office  to  make  some  additions  to  the  Tables  which  were 
thought  necessary. 

5.  But  the  decemvirs,  having  tasted  the  sweets  of  power,  were 
unwilling  to  resign  it.  Even  when  no  reasonable  pretence  could  any 
longer  be  urged,  they  maintained  their  office  by  their  own  will. 
They  now  began  to  tyrannize  over  the  people,  seizing  their  ])roperty 
and  committing  various  acts  of  oppression.  Great  popular  discontent 
was  thus  excited. 

r».  In  the  midst  of  these  intestine  troubles,  the  ^.quians  ind  Vol- 
scians  renewed  their  hostilities,  and  advanced  within  ten  miles  of 
Rome.  The  leading  decemvirs  took  the  command  of  the  army,  but 
the  Roman  soldiers,  hating  these  men,  determined  to  bring  them  into 
disgrace.  On  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  therefore,  they  shamefully 
abandoned  their  ground  and  retreated. 

7.  When  this  was  known  at  Rome,  the  blame  was  thrown  upon 
the  generals.  Some  called  out  for  a  dictator,  and  the  veteran  Den- 
tatus  spoke  with  openness  and  freedom  of  the  commanders.  Appius 
Claudius,  the  principal  decemvir,  was  enraged  at  this,  and  marked 
out  the  old  soldier  for  destruction. 

8.  Under  pretence  of  doing  him  honor,  he  sent  him  with  a  convoy 
of  supplies  to  the  army.  The  aged  hero  was  received  most  respect- 
fully at  the  camp,  and  was  sent  with  a  body  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  to  explore  the  country.  The  soldiers  who  attended  him  were 
ordered  by  Appius  to  assassinate  him. 

9.  They  conducted  him  into  a  deep  hollow  among  the  hills,  and 
then  fell  suddenly  upon  him.  The  brave  old  soldier  set  his  back 
against  a  rock  and  fought  till  he  had  killed  fifteen  of  his  assailants 
and  wounded  thirty.  He  then  kept  off  their  javelins  with  his  shield, 
but  was  at  last  crushed  by  great  stones  which  they  threw  down  upon 
him  from  the  top  of  the  rock. 

10.  This  piece  of  treachery  was  well  known  at  Rome,  though 
Appius  attemi)ted  to  conceal  it  by  procuring  a  splendid  funeral  for 
Dentatus.  The  decemvirs  were  now  universally  hated,  and  before 
ong  another  event  of  a  most  tragical  nature  increased  this  hatred  to 
2itt»3r  detestation 


were  commissioners  sent  lo  Greece?  3.  What  were  the  twelve  tables?  4.  What 
were  the  decemvirs?  5.  How  did  they  exercise  ilieir  power?  6.  How  ilid  the  si»ldiera 
behave  in  llie  war  with  the  jf/juians  and  Volscians?  7.  What  of  Dentatus  and  Appius? 
B,  0.  What  became  of  Dentatus?  10.  What  was  the  conse(|vence  (»1  hu  asfassinA 
tioo} 


APPIUS  CLAUDIUS  AND   VIRGINIA. 


17 


CHAPTER   XXiX. 

Appius  Claudius  and  Virginia. 


I.  of  SItt- 


Virgimus  mid  his  Daughter. 

1.  Appius  had  conceived  a  strong  passion  for  Virginia,  the  daugh 
cT  of  Virginius,  a  centurion.     She  was  only  fifteen  years  of  age. 

extremely  beautiful,  and  was  betrothed  to  Icilius,  formerly  a  tribune 
of  the  people.  Appius  would  have  married  Virginia  had  not  the 
laws  interdicted  marriage  between  patricians  and  plebeians.  In 
this  situation,  he  resolved  upon  the  most  flagitious  measures  to  gain 
possession  of  her  person. 

2.  He  bribed  one  Claudius  to  claim  Virginia  as  his  slave,  and  to 
bring  the  case  before  his  own  tribunal.  Here  Claudius  made  oath 
that  she  was  the  daughter  of  his  female  slave,  born  in  his  house,  and 
sold  by  her  mother  to  the  wife  of  Virginius.  The  vile  decemvir 
decided  in  favor  of  the  claim,  and  ordered  Virginia  to  be  given  up  to 
Claudius. 

3.  Just  as  the  lictors  were  about  to  lay  hands  on  her,  Virginius, 
who  had  hastened  from  the  army  on  the  first  intelligence  of  these  pro- 
ceedings, made  his  appearance  in  the  forum.  He  saw  that  his  daugh- 
ter was  lost,  but  pretending  to  acquiesce  in  the  sentence,  he  asked 
leave  to  take  a  farewell  embrace  of  his  child.  This  being  allowed 
him,  he  seized  a  knife  and  plunged  it  into  her  heart. 

4.  Virginius,  having  executed  this  dreadful  deed  to  save  his  daugh  • 
ter  from  slavery  and  infamy,  turned  to  the  affrighted  decemvir,  and 

XXIX  — 1.  What  of  Appius  and  Virginia?    2.  How  did  Appius  attempt  to  seize 
Vlrgiina  ?    3,  4.  What  was  the  con  «ct  of  Virginius?     5.  What  was  the  consequence 


48 


aPPIUS  CLAUDIUS  AND  VIKUIMA 


nranuishinjL,^   the   weapon  in  the   air,  exclaimed,   **  By   this   blood 
Appius,  I  devote  thy  head  to  the  infernal  gods!"     Then    running 
wildly  throujrh  the  city,  he  roused  the  people  to  arms.     Iciliws  and 
his  friends  held  up  the  blecdinnr  corpse  of  Virginia  to  the  multitude, 
md  bade  them  see  the  work  of  the  tyrant. 

5.  The  whole  city  was  immediately  aroused.  Appius  and  his 
'iclors  were  driven  out  of  the  forum,  and  the  decemvir  ran  into  a 
nouse  to  save  his  life.  His  colleagues  attempted  to  support  him,  but 
the  people  were  too  powerful,  and  the  senate  was  convened  to  quell 
the  tumult. 

6.  In  the  mean  time,  Virginius  had  hastened  back  to  the  camp,  fol- 
lowed by  a  crowd  of  people.  The  sight  of  his  bloody  face,  and  the 
cries  of  the  citizens,  drew  the  whole  army  around  him.  He  told  his 
story,  and  called  upon  his  comrades  to  avenge  him.  One  common 
feeling  animated  them  all  ;  they  ran  to  their  arms,  pulled  up  the 
standards,  and  marched  to  Rome. 

7.  When  they  reached  the  city,  the  authority  of  the  hated  decem- 
virs was  already  at  an  end.  As  they  marched  through  the  streets, 
they  called  upon  the  commons  to  assert  their  liberties,  and  establish 
the  tribunes  of  their  order.  The  senate  saw  that  the  demands  of  the 
people  must  be  satisfied,  and  ten  tribunes  were  elected  from  the  com- 
mons. Appius  was  thrown  into  prison,  where  he  died  by  his  own 
hands. 

B.  The  popular  party  having  secured  this  triumph,  demanded  fur- 
iner  privileges,  and  the  senate  was  compelled  to  r.juss  a  law  admitting 
the  plebeians  to  marry  with  the  patricians.  A  period  of  tranquillity 
followed  these  changes,  till  a  famine  occasioned  new  troubles. 

9.  Spurius  Maelius,  a  rich  merchant,  in  order  to  ingratiate  himself 
with  the  people,  bought  a  large  quantity  of  corn  in  Etruria,  and  dis- 
tributed it  among  the  poor  of  Rome.  Having  thus  acquired  great 
popularity  and  influence,  he  began  to  aim  at  sovereign  power. 

10.  He  organized  a  conspiracy  to  this  effect  among  his  followers, 
but  the  plot  was  seasonably  discovered.  In  this  critical  situation  oi 
the  republic,  Cincinnatus  was  a  third  time  appointed  dictator,  when 
he  was  eighty  years  of  age. 

11.  He  commanded  Maelius  to  appear  before  him,  and  when  the 
latter  refused  to  obey,  the  dictator  sent  an  otlicer,  who  killed  him  on 
the  spot.  The  house  of  Maelius  was  demolished,  and  all  his  property 
was  given  to  the  poor. 


In  Rome?    0.  VVhai  in  ilu5  camp?     7.  What  became  of  the  decemvirs?    Wl\al  new 
oiJicers  were  apfK)inie(l  ?    8.  Wh:a  new  privilesre  was  graiUe*!  to  the  plebeians  1     What 
!^uiie<J  new  troubles  ?    9.  How  did  Spurius  MaMius  accpiire  influence  among  the  peoi^' 
0    What  of  hiH  con8[>jracy  ?    1 ) .  What  was  the  end  of  Msliua  ) 


SIEGE  OF   VEIL 


a» 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Siege  of  VeiL 

an^  J"t'heTi?nl  "if.V  f  "  '""^  ''""  ^"''^"  «"  ">'«■''  =»»"<'- 
ance  to  the  Kcmans,  that  the  latter  came  at  length  to  a  detern  iin- 

tion  not  to  make  peace  till  they  had  captured  the  riva"  c, tv  Th  v 
^ordmgly  laid  s.cge  to  Veil,  but  the  place  bein-.  exceedinalv  sir  >^ 
r>oth  by  nature  and  art,  was  enabled  to'muke  a  Ion.  defence  ^  ' 

.J.  Uunng  the  summer  of  the  seventh  year  of  the  sie.re,  ti,ere  hn.- 
pened  a  great  drought ;  the  springs  and  rivers  were  almoL.    ?y         n 
a  sudden  the  waters  of  the  Alban  lake,  which  hes  about  twe    e'mi  e 
from  Rome    embosomed  in  high  hills,  began  to  swell      Thev  r  tp 
a^,ove  the  banks  of  the  lake,  and  cove'red^he  fields  ad  housj.      I 

S-Sll/e'Tdar  bir  *""^'  -"■  -"''-•"'^'  ^--''  '•-  " 

p  ov-mg  of  no  avaj  ,  they  sent  to  Delphi,  in  Greece,  to  ask  counse  of 
the  oracle  of  Apollo,  which  was  then  famous  in  ev^ry  land 

4.  The  inhabitants  of  Veii  heard  of  this  catiistrophe  ;  and  one  dav 
an  old  man  of  the  city  was  talking  from  the  wal  s  with  a  Roman 
sentinel.  The  latter  boasted  that  his  countrymen  would  s^on  -X 
the  city  but  the  old  man  laughed  and  said,  ''You  will  nevruki  it 
nil  the  lake  of  Alba  is  empty."  ' 

5.  This  reply  caused  a  great  commotion  amon<r  the  Romans   for 

the  city,  and  took  him  prisoner.     (Jn  being  questioned  closely   he 
declared  ,t  was  written  in  the  book  of  fate  just  as  he  had  said     ^' 

b.  When  the  messengers  returned  from  Delphi,  tbey  brought  an 
Mswer  winch  corresponded  with  the  old  man's  assertion  "  The 
Romans  were  now  convinced   that  their  success  depended 'on  the 

rSuouH'^t^."'''^  '""^  ^°""^  ^'"^  ''^'^'  -""="  -P^-d  it  of'its 

i>~^V''l'^^^^  '""'''•  *  '"','^•'"  '"="?»'''  '"'^y  ^  seen  at  the 
present  day       1  he  Romans,  now  believ  ng  they  had  secured  the  fates 

on  thetr  side,  appointed  Camillus  dictato?,  and  pressed  the  siege  of 

J,ZJ^r  T'^  "'?"  ^'■*''-     *^'"'"""^  "'•d^'^d  a  mine  to  bf  du. 
under  the  wall,  into  the  very  citadel  of  \cii 

«f  fhp^Tn?  *''®  °P7'"''>"s  were  finished,  but  before  the  further  end 

1,  »      Vy     ,  '°''^"  'u ■""""'''  ^^'''"'""^  «<='"  »»  Rome,  directin-T  U] 
«ho  wished  to  share  m  the  plunder  of  Veii  to  repair  to  the  army'' 


£SSiSC"iSJ«HSS^^ 


/ 


50 


CAPTURE  OF  VEII. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

CapUire  of  Veil. 

1  EviRYTHiNG  being  ready,  and  the  besieged  entirely  i^-joiarit  of 
what  had  been  done  underground,  Camillus  gave  orders  for  a  genera 
assault  upon  the  walls,  to  divert  attention  from  his  stratagem.     A 
this  moment  the  king  of  Veii  was  in  the  temple  of  Juno,  m  the  cita- 
del, offerino-  a  sacrifice  for  the  deliverance  of  the  city. 

2  The  Soothsayer  who  stood  by  him,  when  he  saw  the  animal 
killed,  cried  aloud,  "  This  is  an  accepted  offering,  for  victory  is  cei- 
tain  to  him  who  lays  the  victim  upon  the  altar."  The  Romans  heard 
these  words  underground,  and  suddenly  burst  into  the  citadel,  seized 
the  victim,  and  laid  it  on  the  altar.  The  city  was  taken,  and  thus,  il 
all  these  tales  be  true,  was  the  prophecy  accomplished. 

3  Great  rejoicings  took  place  at  Rome  upon  this  victory,  hamu- 
lus entered  the  citv  in  triumph,  riding  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  four 
white  horses.  Some  men  thought  he  was  too  proud  of  his  achiev- 
ments,  and  predicted  that  his  pride  would  have  a  tail.  But  such  pre- 
dictions are  often  invented  after  the  events,  said  to  have  been  foretold, 

have  taken  place.  .       ^_  ,    ..       .       .      , 

4  Camillus  afterwards  laid  siege  to  the  city  of  Faleni.  A  school- 
master, who  had  the  care  of  the  sons  of  the  principal  citizens,  took  the 
opportunity,  when  he  was  walking  with  hi&  boys  outside  the  wal  s,  to 
lead  them  into  the  Roman  camp,  and  deliver  them  into  the  hands  ot 

the  besiegers. 

5  Camillus,  indignant  at  this  act  of  treachery,  ordered  the  school- 
master's  hands  to  be  tied  behind  his  back,  and  then  bade  the  boys  flog 
him  back  to  town,  for  "the  Romans,"  he  said,  **  never  made  wai 
upon  children."     The  Falerians,  won  by  his  generosity,  surrendered 

at  discretion.  .  r^       n 

6  Notwithstanding  these  signal  triumphs,  Camillus  soon  expe- 
rienced the  ingratitude  of  his  countrymen.  Various  charges  were 
brouc^ht  against  him,  and  as  he  was  unwilling  to  expose  himself  to 
the  iTrnommy  of  a  public  trial,  he  left  Rome  and  went  into  exile. 

7.^It  is  said  that  as  he  was  going  out  of  the  gate,  he  turned  round 
and  uttered  a  prayer  to  the  gods,  that  his  countrymen  might  one  day 
be  made  sensible  of  his  innocence  and  their  own  ingratitude.  This 
was  soon  accomplished,  in  consequence  of  the  invasion  of  the  Gauls 


XXXI  —1    How  (lid  the  attack  be?in  ?      2.  How   wa«  Veil   taker.?    3.   Wlial  o 
r^  niflua?    4,  5.    What  happened  at  the  siej?e  of  Falerii?     6.  How  did  llw  KomiA 
UtraJ  Cainlllusi    7.  How  did  he  tike  .U3  leave  of  Romol 


INVASION   OF  THE  GAULS. 


51 


CHAPTER  kxXII. 


Invasion  of  the  Gauls, 

1.  Thk  Gauls  were  a  branch  of  the  great  nati  ii  of  the  Celts,  or 
Kelt3,  Avho  inhabited,  at  a  very  early  period  of  history,  all  the  northern 
part  of  Europe  to  the  westward  of  the  Rhine.  They  were  in  a  stale 
of  complete  barbarism,  having  hardly  any  acquaintance  with  agricul- 
ture or  trade,  and  living  on  the  milk  and  flesh  of  their  cattle.  In 
manners  they  were  turbulent  and  brutal,  easily  excited,  but  deficient 
m  energy  and  perseverance. 

2.  About  the  period  of  the  last  Veientine  war,  some  unknown  cir- 
cumstances appear  to  have  caused  a  migratory  movement  amon^ 
them.  One  body  of  these  people  crossed  the  Alps,  and  made  an 
irruption  into  Etruria.  They  quickly  made  themselves  masters  of  the 
whole  plain  of  the  Po  ;  and  then  crossed  the  Apennines  and  laid  sieo-e 
to  Clusium,  a  city  of  southern  Etruria.  ^ 

3.  It  was  said  that  a  citizen  of  Clusium  was  the  cause  of  this  inva 
sion.  This  person,  named  Aruns,  had  been  the  guardian  of  a 
Lucumo,  or  chief  man  of  the  city,  and  having  been  abused  by  him, 
and  denied  redress  by  the  magistrates,  resolved  upon  reveno-e.  He 
loaded  a  number  of  mules  with  skins  of  wine  and  oil,  and  with  rush 
mats  filled  with  figs,  and  carried  them  across  the  Alps,  into  the  country 
of  the  Gauls.  ^ 

4.  Aruns  found  the  Gauls,  as  he  expected,  highly  delighted  with 
these  presents.  They  were  delicacies  unknown  to  the  north  of  the 
Alps,  and  the  barbarians  were  eager  to  obtain  more  of  them.  Aruns 
assured  them  that  they  might  easily  conquer  the  land  that  produced 
wine  and  figs,  and  forthwith  an  immense  host  of  Gauls  arose  and 
marched  off  with  their  wives  and  children  into  Italy. 

5.  Their  guide  led  them  to  Clusium,  and  they  laid  sieire  to  that 
city.  The  Clusians  sent  to  the  Romans  for  aid.  The  senate 
despatched  three  of  the  Fabian  family  to  desire  the  Gauls  not  to 
molest  the  Clusians,  who  were  the  allies  of  Rome.  The  Gaula 
replied  that  they  wanted  land,  and  the  Clusians  must  divide  their  ter- 
ritory with  them. 

6.  The  Fabii  were  angry  at  the  ill  success  of  their  interference, 
and  entered  the  city  of  Clusium,  where  they  joined  the  people  in  arms. 
Hy  this  act  they  degraded  their  character  as  ambassadore,  and  violated 
the  law  of  Rome,  which  declared  that  no  citizen  should  bear  arms 
against  an  enemy  till  war  had  been  formally  declared,  and  he  had 
taken  the  military  oath. 


XXXII.  —  1.  Who  were  the  Gaulg?    2.  How  did  they  invade  Italy  ?    ?,  4.  Who  wa» 

»^?rV     rJ  i  ..v!  ^''^*'«  ^^^  Gaula  into  Italy?    5.  What  happeiwd  at  Clusiurnl 
f-  What  rf  the  Fabii?  *^ 


fi2 


MARCH  OF  THE  GAULS  TO  KOMI 


CHAPTER!  XXXIII. 


March  of  the  Gauls  to  Roirte, 

1.  In  a  Killy  from  Cliisiiim,  one  of  the  Roman  amba.-sadcrs  dew  ■ 
Gallic  chief,  and  as  he  was  stripping  him  of  his  armor,  lie  was  :ecog 
nized  by  the  Gauls.  Brennus,  the  king,  immediately  ordeTcd  a  retreat  t4) 
be  sounded  ;  and  then  selecting  the  stoutest  of  his  warriors,  sent  them 
to  Rome,  complaining  of  this  infraction  of  the  laws  of  nations  by  the 
ambassadors,  and  demanding  that  they  should  be  given  up  to  justice. 

2.  Most  of  the  senators  acknowledged  the  wrong,  but  they  were 
unwilling  to  give  up  men  of  noble  birth  to  the  vengeance  of  a  savage 
foe.  They  referred  the  matter  to  the  people,  who  instantly  created 
the  offenders  consular  tribunes,  and  then  told  the  Gallic  envoys  that 
nothing  could  be  done  with  them  till  the  expiration  of  their  oflice. 

3.  Brennus,  when  he  received  this  reply,  gave  the  word  *'  For 
Rome  !"  The  Gauls  were  immediately  upon  their  march,  breathing 
vengeance  against  the  violators  of  national  justice.  Their  horse  and 
foot  overspread  the  plains.  They  touched  not  the  property  of  the 
husbandman  ;  they  passed  the  towns  and  villages  as  if  they  were 
friends.  They  crossed  the  Tiber,  and  reached  tho  Allia,  a  little 
stream  which  flows  into  that  river,  about  eleven  miles  from  Rome. 

4.  It  is  said  they  would  have  taken  the  city  by  surprise,  had  not  a 
supernatural  warning  been  given  to  the  Romans.  According  to  this 
story,  a  plebeian,  named  Ciedicius,  as  he  was  passing  in  the  night 
time  along  the  foot  of  the  Palatine  Hill,  heard  a  voice  more  than 
human,  from  the  adjacent  grove  of  Vesta,  calling  him  by  name. 

5.  He  turned  to  see  who  had  spoken  to  him,  but  no  one  was  visi- 
ble. The  voice  was  then  heard  again,  commanding  him  to  go  in  the 
morning  to  the  magistrates  and  tell  them  that  the  Gauls  were  coming. 
Upon  these  tidings,  the  men  of  military  age  were  called  out,  and  led 
against  the  enemy  at  the  Allia. 

6.  The  Gauls  were  70,000  strong;  the  Romans  only  40,000. 
The  latter  were  divided  into  two  wings,  the  left  resting  on  the  Tiber, 
the  right  occupying  some  broken  ground  ;  the  Allia  was  between 
them  and  the  enemy.  Brennus  attacked  the  right  wing,  and  speedily 
routed  it ;  those  in  the  left,  seeing  themselves  out-flanked,  were 
seized  with  a  panic,  broke  their  ranks,  and  fled  towards  the  river. 

7.  The  Gauls  attacked  the  fugitives  on  every  side.  Great  num- 
bers were  slain  ;  many  were  drowned  ;  the  survivors,  mostly  without 
arms,  fled  to  Veii.  Those  of  the  right  wing  had  made  the  best  of 
their  way  across  the  hills  to  Rome,  carrying  the  news  of  their  defeat. 
Before  night  the  Gaulish  cavalry  appeared^  before  the  walls  ;  but  no 
ittack  was  made  upon  the  city.  During  that  night  and  the  fol  wing 
day,  the  Gauls  were  engaged  in  plundering  and  rioting  without  the 
walls,  and  frightening  the  inhabitants  within  by  singing  and  shouting. 

XXXIII.  —  1.  Ho^  were  the  Roman  ambassadors  discovert?  1.  What  was  done  by 
the  senate?  3.  What  by  Brennus?  4,  5.  What  warn'ng  is  sak*  have  been  given  tc 
Iho  Romans  '/    6.  7.  Describe  tho  battle  of  the  Allia?  ^ 


u  ^ 


TAPrURE  OF  ROME  BY  THE  GAUL& 


^ 


»**"  I 


CHAPTE]^  XXXIV. 
Capture  of  Rome  by  the  Gauls. 


Y-i 


K 


i— -i^ 


'\ 


Gauls  before  Rome. 

1  The  Romans  found  it  impossible  to  defend  the  city,  but  they 
resolved  to  hold  the  capitol  to  the  last  extremity.  About  a  thousand 
men  took  their  station  there,  with  a  supply  of  provisions.  The 
remainder  of  the  inhabitants  saved  themselves  as  they  could.  Some 
fled  to  the  neighbormg  towns,  others  dispersed  over  the  country.  A 
part  of  the  sacred  objects  used  in  worship  were  secreted  under 
ground  ;  the  Vestal  Virgins  fled  with  the  remainder  to  Caere. 

2.  Nearly  a  hundred  of  the  aged  patricians  and  magistrates 
reniained  in  the  city,  determined  not  to  survive  the  rum  of  the  place 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  all  their  glory.  They  clothed  them- 
selves in  their  robes  of  state,  and  having  devoted  themselves  with 
solemn  ceremonies  to  the  cause  of  the  republic,  they  sat  awaiting 
death  on  their  ivory  seats  in  the  forum. 

3.  On  the  second  day  after  the  battle,  the  Gauls  entered  Rome. 
At  first,  no  person  was  seen,  and  a  deathlike  silence  prevailed  in  the 
streets.  But  as  they  entered  the  forum,  they  beheld  the  walls  of  the 
capitol  covered  with  armed  men,  and  in  the  space  beneath,  the  \en- 
erable  senators  seated  in  order,  maintaining  a  profound  silence,  as 
immovable  as  .statues. 

4.  The  barbarous  invaders  were  struck  with  superstitious  awe  at 
the  first  sight  of  these  persons,  whom  they  took  for  divinities.  At 
UjDgth  one  of  the  Gauls  put  forth  his  hand  and  seized  the  long  beard 

JtXXT  V.  —  1.  How  did  the  Romans  provide  for  their  sa>' v  after  the  baf.le  '<     2.  Whai 
5* 


54 


DEFENCE  OF  THE  CAPITOL. 


of  Marcus  Papirius.  The  old  man,  resentin<^  this  indifrnity,  str  ch 
him  over  the  head  with  his  ivory  staff,  on  which  the  barharian  d-ew 
his  sword  and  slew  him.  This  was  immediately  followed  by  thf. 
massacre  of  all  the  other  senators. 

5.  The  Gauls  then  fell  to  plundering  the  houses,  and  the  city  was 
soon  set  on  fire.     All  Rome  was  consumed,  except  the  capitol  and  n 
few  houses  on  the  Palatine.     They  now  summoned  the  capitol  to  rui 
iender,  but  the  garrison  defended  themselves  bravely.     Brennus,  find 
ing  it  impossible  to  capture  the  place  by  assault,  blockaded  it  closely 
hoping  to  starve  the  Romans  into  a  surrender. 

6.  Meantime  some  people  of  Etruria  ungenerously  took  advantage 
of  the  distress  of  the  Romans  to  ravage  the  Veientine  territory,  where 
the  Roman  peasantr}  had  taken  refuge,  with  what  property  they  had 
been  able  to  save.  But  the  Romans  at  Veil  attacked  them  in  the 
night  and  dispersed  them. 


CHAPTER\  XXXV 


i 


Defence  of  the    Capitol,  ^ 

1.  Having  thus  obtained  a  supply  of  arms,  of  which  they  were  su 
much  in  want,  they  prepared  to  act  against  the  Gauls.  A  brave 
youth,  named  Pontius  Cominius,  swam  one  night  on  corks  down  the 
Tiber,  and  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  Gauls,  clambered  up  the  steep 
ascent  of  the  capitol.  Having  given  the  requisite  information  to  the 
garrison,  he  returned  by  the  way  he  came. 

2.  The  Gauls,  the  next  day,  took  notice  of  a  bush  on  the  side  of 
the  hill,  which  had  given  way  as  Cominius  had  grasped  it  in  climbing 
up.  They  also  observed  that  the  grass  was  trodden  down  in  various 
places ;  this  showed  that  the  rock  was  not  inaccessible,  and  they 
resolved  to  scale  it. 

3.  At  midnight,  therefore,  a  select  body  moved  in  dead  silence  to 
the  spot,  and  began  to  climb,  feeling  their  way  slowly  and  cautiously 
up  the  steep  side  of  the  hill.  No  noise  was  made  ;  the  Romans  were 
buried  in  sleep,  the  sentinels  were  negligent  or  drowsy,  and  even  the 
dogs,  who  start  at  the  slightest  sound,  were  not  aroused. 

4.  All  went  on  successfully,  and  the  foremost  Gaul  had  just 
reached  the  top,  when  the  sacred  geese  in  the  temple  of  Juno,  which 
in  the  famine  of  the  siege  had  been  spared  by  the  garrison,  bein<; 
startled,  began  to  flap  their  wings  and  scream.  The  noise  awoke 
Marcus  Manlius,  whose  house  stood  neai  the  spot.  He  ran  to  the 
place  where  the  Gauls  were  ascending,  and  threw  the  foremost  down 
headlong  ;  in  his  fall  he  knocked  down  the  others.  The  Romans 
were  now  aroused,  and  repelled  the  assailants. 


wag  done  by  the  patricians  ?    3.  How  di:  the  Gauls  enter  ;he  city  7     4.  What  of  Paplr 
in?    6.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  city  ?    G.  What  was  dcre  by  the  Etrurians) 
XXXV.  -•  1.  What  rf  Pontus  Cominius  •    2  3.  How  die.  ,.1-^  Gauls  attempt  to  selxe  tIM 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  GAULS  FROM  ROME. 


5-5 


5    The  officer  whose  negligence  had  placed  the  capitol  in  such 
peril,  was  thrown  down  the  rock  with  his  hands  tied  behind  him,  and 


The  Gauls  attacking  the  Capitol, 

every  man  in  the  citadel  gave  Manlius  half  a  pound  of  corn  and  a 
quarter  of  a  flask  of  wine  as  a  reward.  This  was  a  liberality  of  no 
small  account,  in  the  distressed  situation  of  the  defenders.  In  mem- 
ory of  the  event,  a  goose  was  afterwards  annually  carried  in  triumph 
at  Rome,  on  a  soft  litter,  finely  adorned. 

6.  But  famine  continued  to  press  upon  the  Romans ;  the  blockade 
had  lasted  six  months,  and  they  had  nearly  eaten  up  the  leather  of 
their  sandala  and  shields.  The  Gauls,  in  the  mean  time,  had  suflered 
the  bodies  of  the  Romans  who  were  killed  to  lie  unburied,  and  it 
being  in  ihe  heat  of  summer,  a  pestilence  broke  out,  which  carried 
oir  great  numbers  of  the  besieging  army. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 


f 


Departure  of  the  Gauls  fro?n  Rome. 

1.  Both  parties  being  now  tired  of  the  siege,  an  agreement  was 
lade,  that  the  Gauls  should  immediately  withdraw  on  the  payment 
it  a  thousand  pounds  of  gold.  This  treaty  havinfr  been  sanctioned 
•y  an  oath  on  both  sides,  the  gold  was  produced  by  the  Romans.  In 
weighing  it,  the  Gauls  attempted  to  defraud  them,  which  being  com- 
[dained  of  by  the  Romans,  the  Gallic  leader  threw  his  sword  into  the 
scale,  crying,  "  Woe  to  the  vanquished  !" 


capiioi?    4.  What  was  done  by  Marcus  Manli'3?    5.  How  was  the  defenc* 
t«pitoi  rewarded  and  commemorated  ?    6.  How  Icrg  did  the  sie  e  endure  ? 


:f  tbi 


6^ 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  GAULS  FROM  ROME. 


2.  By  tliis  repl}^  the  Rorians  saw  that  they  were  at  the  victor' 
mercy,  and  prepared  to  subnit;  but  while   he  dispute  vviis  going  on, 
news  came  that  Camilhis,  the  Roman  geieral,  was  at  the  gates  of 
the  city,  with  a  large  army  for  their  relief.     He  soon  made  his'^appear- 
ance,  and  demanded  the  cause  of  the  dispute. 

3.  On  learning  the  state  of  affairs,  he  ordered  the  gold  to  be  carried 
back  to  the  capitol.  "  For,"  said  he,  **  it  has  ever  been  the  manner 
with  us  Romans,  to  ransom  our  country,  not  with  gold,  but  vMth 
iron.  I  only  am  the  man  to  make  peace,  as  being  the  dictator  of 
Rome  ;  and  ray  sword  alone  shall  purchase  it." 

4.  Each  side  then  flew  to  arms,  and  a  battle  was  fought  on  ilie 
ruins  of  Rome.  The  Gauls  were  defeated,  and  a  second  victory,  on 
the  Gabine  road,  annihilated  their  army.  Camillus  entered  Rome  in 
tnum])[i,  leading  Brennus  captive.  This  much-dreaded  barbarian 
leader  was  put  to  death,  and  the  only  answer  to  his  remonstrances 
was  made  in  his  own  words,  '*  Woe  to  the  vanquished  !" 


^-   *':m^a 


Camillus  and  Romans  m  battle  with  the  Gauls. 

5.  Such  is  the  account  of  the  capture  and  deliverance  of  Rome, 
which  wac  generally  current  among  the  historians  of  that  nation. 
It  IS  highly  probable,  however,  that  some  part  of  the  story  has  been 
talsified  by  the  national  vanity  of  the  Romans.  Instead  of  being 
defeated  by  Camillus,  the  Gauls,  if  we  may  credit  more  impar- 
tial accounts,  withdrew  peaceably,  carrying  olT  the  whole  of  the 
ransom. 

6  Tlie  city  was  now  a  heap  of  ruins  ;  x\e  wealth  of  the  inha])it- 
AHts  was  destroyed,  and  all  were  reduced  to  ^rreat  misery.     A  tradi- 

„  ^^rnHl'n  \  ^^u\  '•*'^"!"?'"  ^va3  proposei  f.r  the  Romu  is  ?  2.  How  was  the  business 
u.termpieil?  3  What  said  Cimillua?  4.  -Vhat  was  I  s  success?  5.  What  is  the 
groul.kuulh  of  this  story?    6.   What  was    he  condition   <  the  Romaua  after  the  GauU 


REBmi.DING  OF  ROME. 


t» 


lion  relates  that  food  was  so  scarce  among  the  pet-ile,  that  all  who 
were  over  sixty  years  of  age  were  thrown  into  the  river  and  drov^iied. 
The  people  shrank  from  the  idea  of  rebuilding  the  city,  and  proposed 
to  emigrate  in  a  body  to  Veil.  /^ 


CHAPTER   XXXVll. 

Rebuilding  of  Roine, 

1.  Against  this  project,  Camillus  raised  his  voice,  and  appealed  to 
the  Romans,  both  as  men  and  citizens,  not  to  desert  the  memorable 
seat  of  their  ancestors.  While  the  subject  was  under  discussion,  a 
lucky  omen,  which  had  perhaps  been  preconcerted  for  the  purpose, 
decided  the  irresolute. 

2.  Just  as  a  senator  was  rising  co  speak,  a  centurion,  marching 
with  his  company  to  relieve  guard,  gave  the  usual  word  of  command, 
"  Halt!  here  is  the  best  place  to  stay."  The  senators  exclaimed, 
'*  A  hapyy  omen  !  The  gods  have  spoken,  — ive  obey.''  The  multitude 
caught  the  enthusiasm,  and  cried  with  one  voice,  "  Rome  forever !'' 

3.  Under  the  prudent  guidance  of  Camillus,  the  military  strength 
of  Rome  was  renewed,  and  the  states  which  had  triumphed  in  the 
recent  humiliation  of  the  city  were  forced  to  own  its  superiority 
But  this  was  a  time  of  internal  distress,  which  was  augmented  by  the 
harshness  and  arbitrary  conduct  of  the  ruling  classes.  In  this  state 
of  things,  Manlius,  who  had  saved  the  capitol,  came  forward  as  the 
champion  of  the  sufferers. 

4.  This  person  aspired  to  be  the  first  man  in  Rome,  and  felt  mortified 
at  the  elevation  of  Camillus.  With  this  view,  he  labored  to  ingra- 
tiate himself  with  the  populace,  paid  their  debts,  and  railed  at  the 
patricians.  The  senate  saw  through  his  schemr  s,  and  created  Come 
lius  Cossus  dictator,  with  a  design  to  curb  the  ambition  of  Manlius. 
The  dictator  called  Manlius  to  an  account  for  his  conduct,  but  the 
latter  was  too  much  the  idol  of  the  multitude  to  be  affected  by  such  a 
proceeding. 

5.  The  dictator  was  obliged  to  lay  down  his  office,  and  Manlius 
was  carried  from  his  confinement  in  triumph  throujrh  the  streets. 
This  success  only  served  to  inflame  his  ambition.  He  began  to  talk 
if  a  division  of  the  lands  among  the  people,  and  insinuated  that  there 
should  be  no  distinctions  of  rank  in  the  republic. 

C).  To  give  weight  to  his  discourses,  Manlius  always  appeared  in 
public  at  the  head  of  a  large  body  of  the  lower  orders,  whom 
his  liberality  hud  enlisted  in  his  cause.  The  city  being  thus  filled 
with  sedition  and  clamor,  the  senate  had  recourse  tc  another  e>fe 
dient,  which  wa3  to  oppose  the  jower  of  Camillus  *.c  that  of  tlu 
demagogue. 


XXXVn.  ~  1.  What  was  the  opinion  of  Caniillus  ?    2.  How  were  the  Ronia.ia  infu 
enced  by  an  omen  1    .3.  What  was  tlie  stale  of  Rome  after  this?    4.  What  of  MarJ" 
nd  CoHsm  ?    5,  6.  What  were  the  schemes  of  ManUus  7 


53 


COxNDElVINATION  OF  MANLIUS 


CHAPTER   XXXVIIl. 

Condemnation  of  Manhns, 

1.  Camillus  was  accordingly  made  one  of  the  military  tribunes 
and  he  appointed  Manlius  a  day  to  answer  for  his  hfe.     The  place  of 
trial  was  near  the  capital,  and  when  he  was  tb^re  accused  of  sedition, 
and  of  aspiring  to  the  so\ereignty,  he  turned  and  pointed  to  that  edi- 
fice, and  put  the  people  in  mind  of  what  he  had  there  done  for  his 

countr) .  ,      . 

2.  The  multitude,  whose  compassion  or  justice  seldom  springs 
from  rational  motives,  refused  to  condemn  him  so  long  as  he  pleaded 
in  sight  of  the  capitol.  But  when  he  was  brought  from  thence  to  the 
Potciinc  grove,  where  that  building  could  not  be  seen,  they  con- 
demned Inm  to  be  thrown  headlong  from  tlic  Tarpcian  rock. 

3.  Thus  the  spot  which  had  been  the  tiieatre  of  his  glory  became 
that  of  his  punishment  and  infamy.  His  house,  in  which  his  con- 
spiracies had  been  carried  on,  and  which  had  been  built  for  him  as 
the  reward  of  his  valor,  was  ordered  to  be  razed  to  the  ground,  and  his 
family  were  prohibited  ever  after  from  bearing  the  name  of  Manlius. 

4.  In  this  manner  the  Romans  went  on,  with  a  mixture  of  turbu- 
lence and  superstition  within  their  walls,  and  successful  enteri)riscs 
without.  They  submitted  to  the  orders  and  requisitions  of  their 
r  -iests  with  implicit  obedience,  and  even  encountered  death  itself,  at 


Marcus  Curtius  leap  hi  g  from  the  Rock. 

iheir  command.     As  an  example  of  this,  we  may  instance  the  caw 
of  Marcus  Curtius 


XXXVIIl.  —  1.  What  of  Camillus  and  Manliua?    2.  What  •  m  the  fate  of  Manliu*! 


It.lE  SAMNITE  AND  LATLN   WAR. 


59 


5.  During  an  earthquake,  a  great  gulf  opened  in  the  forum,  and 
the  augurs  declared  that  it  would  never  close  till  the  most  precious 
things  in  Rome  were  thrown  into  it.  Curtius  arrayed  Iiimself  in 
nomplete  armor,  mounted  his  horse,  and  boldly  leaped  into  the  yawn 
ing  abyss,  declaring  that  nothing  was  more  truly  precious  than  patri- 
otism and  military  virtue.  The  gulf,  say  the  historians,  closed 
immediately  upon  him,  and  he  was  seen  no  more. 

6.  Shortly  after  the  execution  of  Manlius,  the  plague  broke  out 
at  Rome.  This  was  ascribed  by  the  disafl'ected  people  to  the  anger 
of  the  gods  at  the  destruction  of  the  hero  who  had  saved  their  tem- 
ples from  pollution.  But  the  patricians,  by  their  triumph  over  Man- 
lius, and  their  steadiness  in  opposing  popular  claims,  had  acquired 
such  strength  that  the  lower  classes  became  overawed,  and  the  com- 
moners ceased  to  display  the  spirit  and  courage  which  they  had 
previously  shown  in  their  contests  with  the  nobles. 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 


The  Savuiite  and  Latin  War. 

1.  Rome  was  now  on  the  point  of  degenerating  into  a  miserable 
oligarchy,  and  her  name  would  have  come  down  to  us  shorn  of  its 
ancient  glories,  had  not  her  decline  been  arrested  by  the  appearance 
of  two  men,  who  changed  the  fate  of  their  country  and  of  the  world. 
These  were  Caius  Licinius  Stole,  and  Lucius  Sentius  Lateranus. 

2.  These  men  were  aided  in  their  patriotic  labors  by  Ambustus,  a 
patrician,  the  father-in-law  of  Licinius,  who  is  said  to  have  espoused 
tlie  popular  cause  to  gratify  the  ambition  of  a  favorite  daughter. 

3.  Licinius  brought  forward  three  "rogations,"  or  Inlls,  as  we 
should  call  them  in  modern  legislation.  The  first  opened  the  consul- 
ship to  plebeians ;  the  second  prohibited  any  person  from  occupying 
more  than  five  hundred  acres  of  public  land,  and  forbade  any  individ- 
ual to  feed  on  a  common  pasturage  more  than  one  hundred  large  or 
five  hundred  small  cattle ;  it  also  fixed  the  rent  of  the  public  land. 
The  third  provided  that  in  all  cases  of  outstanding  debts,  the  interest 
paid  should  be  deducted  from  the  capital  in  making  payment. 

4.  The  patricians  resisted  the  passing  of  these  laws  for  five  years, 
using  every  means  of  force  and  fraud  to  frustrate  the  designs  of  Li- 
cinius. At  length  the  people  took  up  arms,  and  gathered  together  on 
Mount  Aventine.  Nothing  could  save  the  republic  now  but  a  dicta- 
torship, and  Camillus  was  intrusted  with  the  office. 

5.  Camillus  saw  that  concessions  must  be  made  to  the  people,  to 
avert  the  horrors  of  civil  war.  He  prevailed  on  the  senate  to  pass 
the  three  laws,  amending  them  only  with  a  provision  that  the  con- 


3.  Wh;it  of  his  house  and  finiily?    4.  How  did  l\\c  Komaiia  prosper?    5,  What  hap 
paned  to  Curtius?     6.   What  of  the  plairue  at  Rome? 

XXXIX.  —  1,  2.  What  was  the  condition  of  Rome  at  this  time?    Who  changed  th« 
fate  of  the  republic?    3.  Whnt  hills  wore  passed  by  Licinius?    4.  What  was  the  cense- 

Juence?    5.  What  of  CamiHus?    When  were  the  praetors  created  »    6l  What  new  wai 
id  the  Kouians  now  meditate? 


t)0 


TITUS  MANLltJS. 


DEVOTION  OF  DECIUS. 


61 


sills  should  no  lonfjer  act  as  civil  judges,  and  that  new  magistrates 
should  be  ciiosen,  witli  the  title  of  prcrtors,  to  exercise  judicial  func 
lions.     This  arrangement,  B.  C.  366,  settled  all  atfairs  for  the  time 
j-inicably. 

6.  The  Romans  had  now  triumphed  over  the  Sabines,  the  Etru 
rians,  the  Latins,  the  Hernici,  the  ^^qui,  and  the  A'^olsci,  and  began 
to  look  for  still  greater  conquests.  They  accordingly  turned  their 
arms  against  the  Samnites,  a  people  descended  from  the  Sabines,  and 
inhabiting  a  large  tract  of  Southern  Italy,  which  is  now  comprise/J 
in  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 


^ 


.  H  m 


CHAPTER   XL. 

Titus  Manlius, 

\.  Valerius  Corvus  and  Cornelius  Cossus  were  the  two  consuls 
first  intrusted  with  the  management  of  this  war.  Valerius  was  one 
of  the  greatest  commanders  of  his  time.  He  was  surnamed  Corins^ 
or  the  '*  crow,"  from  the  strange  circumstance  of  his  once  having 
been  assisted  by  a  crow,  while  engaged  in  combat  with  a  Gaul  of 
gigantic  stature,  whom  he  killed  in  battle. 

2.  The  Samnites  were  the  bravest  men  whom  the  Romans  had  yet 
encountered.  Cornelius  led  an  army  directly  to  Samnium,  the  ene- 
my's capital,  while  Valerius  marched  to  relieve  Capua,  a  city  of 
Campania,  which  was  threatened  by  the  Samnites.  The  fortune  of 
Rome  prevailed.  After  an  obstinate  conflict  in  the  field,  the  Sam- 
nites fled,  declaring  that  they  were  not  able  to  withstand  the  fierce 
looks  and  fire-darting  eyes  of  the  Romans 

3.  A  war  with  the  Latins  followed  soon  after.  These  people 
were  so  similar  to  the  Romans  in  language,  dress,  arms,  &c.,  that 
the  greatest  caution  was  necessary  to  avoid  mistaking  enemies  for 
friends,  in  an  engagement.  Orders  were  therefore  issued  by  Manli- 
us, the  Roman  commander,  that  no  soldier  should  leave  his  ranks,  on 
pain  of  death. 

4.  Both  armies  were  drawn  up  in  face  of  each  other,  ready  for 
battle,  when  Metius,  the  Latin  general,  pushed  forward  from  his 
lines,  and  challenged  any  knight  in  the  Roman  host  to  meet  him  in 
single  combat.  For  some  time  there  was  a  general  pause,  no  sol- 
dier daring  to  disobey  orders,  till  Titus  Manlius,  son  of  the  general, 
burning  with  shame  to  see  the  whole  Roman  army  intimidated,  bold 
ly  rode  forward  and  faced  the  challenger. 

5.  The  soldiers  on  both  sides  stood  still  to  witness  the  engage 
ment.     The  two  champions  drove  their  horses  against  each  othei 
with  a  terrible  shock.     Metius  wounded  the  horse  of  his  antagonist 
in  the  neck  ;  but  Manlius  killed  the  horse  of  Metius.     The  Latm 

XL.  —  1.  Who  were  the  consuls  in  this  war?  2.  What  was  the  success  of  : lie  R*^ 
mans?  3.  What  of  liie  war  will  the  Laiiiis  ?  4,  5.  What  was  done  bv  Tilus  Maiiliusf 
6.  What  was  his  fate  1    7.  How  «lid  ilie  soUiiers  ^jeiiave  ? 


general,  thrown  to  the  ground,  attempted  for  a  while  to  support  hun- 
self  upon  his  shield ;  but  the  Roman  followed  up  his  blows,  and  laid 
him  dead  as  he  was  endeavoring  to  rise. 

6.  Manlius  returned  to  the  ranks  in  triumph,  and  laid  the  spoils  of 
his  victory  at  his  father's  feet.  The  stern  Roman  addressed  him 
thus  :  **  Titus  Manlius,  as  thou  hast  regarded  neither  the  dignity  of 
the  consulship  nor  the  commands  of  a  father  —  as  thou  hast  destroyed 
military  discipline  and  set  an  example  of  disobedience,  thou  hast  re- 
duced me  to  the  deplorable  extremity  of  sacrificing  either  my  son  or 

ny  country.  Lictor,  bind  his  hands,  and  let  his  death  be  an  example 
to  the  Romans  in  future." 

7.  At  this  cruel  mandate  the  whole  army  was  struck  with  aston- 
ishment, and  stood  in  mute  surprise.  But  when  they  saw  their 
young  champion's  head  struck  off,  and  his  blood  streaming  on  the 
ground,  a  scream  of  horror  ran  through  their  ranks.  The  dead 
body  of  Manlius  was  carried  forth  without  ihe  camp  amid  the  wail- 
ings  of  the  soldiery,  aud  was  buried  with  military  honors. 


CHAPTER  XLL 

Devotion  of  Dcciics, 


1.  After  the  funeral  obsequies  of  Manlius,  the  battle  between  the 
Latins  and  Romans  began  with  great  fury,  and  as  the  two  armies 
had  often  marched  under  the  same  leaders,  they  fought  with  all  the 
animosity  of  a  civil  war.  Their  courage  was  equal,  but  after  some 
time  the  left  wing  of  the  Romans,  commanded  by  Decius,  began  lo 
give  ground. 

2.  Previous  to  the  battle,  the  augurs  had  foretold  that  the  Romans 
would  prevail  if  the  commander  of  that  portion  which  was  hard 
pressed  by  the  enemy  should  devote  himsi'lf  as  a  sacrifice  for  his 
country.  Decius  now  saw  that  the  time  was  come  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  prediction,  and  he  resolved  to  offer  himself. 

3.  He  therefore  called  out  to  Manlius,  who  was  chief  pontiff,  and 
demanded  his  instructions  as  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  act.  By  the 
pontiff's  directions,  he  was  clothed  in  a  long  robe,  his  head  was  cov- 
ered, and  his  arms  stretched  forward  ;  in  this  manner,  standing  upon 
a  javelin,  he  pronounced  the  solemn  words  devoting  himself  to  the 
celestial  and  infernal  gods,  for  the  safety  of  Rome. 

4.  Then  arming  himself  and  mounting  his  horse,  he  drova  furious- 
ly into  the  midst  of  the  enemy,  carrying  terror  and  confusion  wherever 
he  came,  till  he  fell,  covered  with  wounds.  The  Latins,  struck  with 
superstitious  awe,  began  to  give  way ;  the  Romans  pressed  them  on 
every  side,  and  caused  them  a  complete  overthrow.  So  great  was  the 
carnage,  that  scarcely  a  fourth  part  of  the  L.itins  survived. 


XLI.  — 1.  What  of  the  liaitle  between  the  Konians  and   Latins?    2.  What  di  J  ine 
auffurs  foretoll?     3,4.  How  di(i  Dei-iiis  devote  himself?    5.  How  did  the  Romans  sue 
ceed  ?    G.   W^'^i  was  d(»ue  l»y  ihe  other  nations?     7.  How  did  they  aucceeil  I 


G2 


THE  CAUDINE  FORKS. 


5.  Tlie  Romans  followed  up  their  succa^i  with  so  much  spiril 
during  the  three  ensuing  campaigns,  that  all  Latium  and  Campam* 
were  subdued,  and  annexed  as  provinces  to  the  Roman  republic. 

6.  These  important  advantages  gained  by  their  rivals  alarmed  tne 
Samnites.  Many  also  of  the  other  states  in  Southern  Italy,  particu- 
larly the  Lucanians  and  Tarentines,  became  jealous  of  the  rising  great- 
ness of  Rome,  and  a  coalition  was  formed  among  them.  The  Romans 
became  sensible  of  their  danger,  and  appointed  Papirius  Cursor  dic- 
tator. 

7.  Under  this  leader  the  Romans  gained  several  victories  over  the 
Samnites  ;  and  these  successes  being  improved  by  the  general  thai 
succeeded  Papirius,  the  enemy  were  reduced  to  such  extremity  that 
ihey  begged  for  a  truce,  which  was  granted. 


II, 


CHAPTE 


The  Caudine  Forks. 


1.  The  Samnites,  as  is  usual  with  a  populace  when  their  own 
deeds  have  brought  them  into  misfortune,  threw  all  the  blame  on 
their  leader.  This  person  was  named  Rrutulus,  and  his  country- 
men having  resolved  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  Romans  as  the  cause 
of  the  war,  the  nuble  Samnite  saved  himself  from  this  disgrace  by  a 
voluntary  death. 

2.  Nevertheless,  the  corpse  of  Bratulus  was  carried  to  Rome,  the 
prisoners  whom  the  Samnites  had  taken  in  battle  were  given  up,  and 
gold  was  sent  to  Rome  to  ransom  the  Samnite  captives.  But  nothing 
could  bend  tlie  haughty  arrogance  of  the  Roman  senate,  who  were 
determined  to  reduce  their  rivals  to  complete  subjection. 

3.  The  Samnites,  rather  than  resign  their  national  independence, 
resolved  to  dare  and  endure  everything.  Pontius,  an  able  general, 
was  placed  at  the  head  of  their  army,  and  bade  defiance  to  the  Ro- 
man power.  The  consuls,  Veturius  and  Postumius,  immediately 
took  the  field  with  a  large  force,  and  invaded  ihe  territories  of  Sam- 
nium,  B.  C.  320. 

4.  The  crafty  Pontius  put  in  practice  a  well-contrived  stratagem. 
He  sent  ten  of  his  soldiers,  disguised  as  shepherds,  to  throw  them- 
selves in  the  way  of  the  Roman  army.  The  latter  meeting  them, 
in([uired  what  route  the  Samnite  forces  had  taken.  The  pretended 
shej[)herds  answered,  with  seeming  indifference,  that  they  had  marched 
to  Luceria,  a  town  of  Apulia,  and  were  then  actually  besieging  it. 

5.  'I'he  Roman  genera'.,  fully  crediting  this  false  intelligence,  ad 
vat.ocd   boldly  and   incau.iously.     Near   the  town  of  Caudium    he 
reached  a  narrow  defile   between  two  woody  mountains,  called  the 
('audine  Forks.     The  Romans  entered  this  passage,  but  when  the 


XLII.  —  I.  What  of  Brululus?  2.  What  was  the  determination  of  the  ltom«n»1 
3.  Wlien  (lid  the  war  reconiiiience  ?  4,5,  6.  How  did  the  Siin)nile.i  entrap  the  Elooiuii 
VI  the  Caudine  Forks  1    7,  8.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  Roman  anny  ? 


ARRIVAL  OF  PVRRHUS  IN   ITALY. 


63 


head  of  their  column  reached  the  further  end  of  the  cefile,  the^  found 
Iheir  way  stopped  by  trunks  of  trees  and  rocks. 

6.  They  then  faced  to  the  right  about,  and  attempted  to  return  by 
the  way  they  came,  but  found  the  entrance  closed  in  the  same  rr.an- 
ner,  and  looking  round  them  saw  the  woods  and  hills  occupied  by  the 
enemy's  soldiery.  To  their  great  consternation  they  perceived  that 
they  were  caught,  as  it  were,  in  a  trap,  without  the  power  of  advanc- 
ing or  retreating. 

7.  The  Samnites  thus  having  the  Romans  entirely  in  their  power, 
forced  them  to  terras.  It  was  stipulated  that  the  Romans  should 
withdraw  entirely  from  the  territory  of  the  Samnites,  and  that  the  two 
nations  should  continue  to  live  upon  the  terms  of  their  former  con- 
federacy. The  Roman  army  was  compelled  to  submit  to  the  ignominy 
of  "passing  under  the  yoke." 

8.  This  was  done  by  setting  up  two  spears,  whh  a  third  across 
them  at  the  top.  Under  this  every  man  of  the  army  passed,  having 
been  stripped  of  all  his  arms  and  clothes  except  a  single  garment. 
The  Romans,  disarmed,  half  naked,  and  burning  with  shame  at  this 
dishonor,  found  a  refuge  in  the  city  of  Capua,  an  ally  of  Rome. 

CHAPTER  I XLIIL 

9 

Arrival  of  Pyrrhus  in  Italy. 

1.  When  the  discomfited  Romans  reached  their  own  city,  the  in- 
habitants were  overwhelmed  with  grief,  indignation,  and  shame.  All 
business  was  suspended ;  and  while  the  unfortunate  soldiers  slunk 
out  of  sight  in  their  own  houses,  or  dispersed  themselves  over  the 
country,  a  new  levy  of  forces  was  ordered.  The  consuls  laid  down 
their  ofhce,  and  new  ones  were  appointed. 

2.  The  treaty  was  disavowed  by  the  senate,  and  the  consuls  who 
had  signed  it  were  sent  bound  to  Pontius,  that  he  might  wreak  his 
vengeance  upon  them.  But  the  Samnite  general  spurned  such  poor 
satisfaction,  and  demanded  that  either  the  whole  Roman  army  should 
again  be  placed  in  his  power,  or  the  treaty  be  observed  with  good  faith. 

3.  The  Romans  disregarded  these  proposals,  and  the  war  was 
carried  on  for  many  years.  The  power  of  the  Samnites  declined 
every  day,  while  that  of  the  Romans  gained  fresh  vigor  from  each 
new  victory.  The  Samnites  being  now  hard  pressed,  determined  to 
call  to  their  assistance  a  foreign  power.  They  therefore  applied  ic 
Pvrrhus,  kinj^-  of  Epirus,  a  country  of  Greece,  lying  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Ionian  Sea. 

4.  Pyrrhus  was  a  man  of  great  courage,  ambition,  and  military 
skill,  who  had  always  kept  the  example  of  Alexander  befoi  his 
eyes,   and  was  desirous  of  becoming  a  universal   conqueror.     He 


XLIII  —1.  What  of  tlie  discomfited  Romans?  2.  How  did  the  senate  behave  re- 
iipectiivg  the  treaty?  3.  Whom  did  the  Samniles  call  to  their  aid  ?  4.  Wlial  of  ^yr 
rhu??    Cineas?    6.  What  of  the  arrival  of  Pyrrhus  and  liis  army  ?    0.  Wliat  >f  Tareo 


UUA? 


6{ 


WAR  WITH    '►YRRHUS. 


pi  omised  the  Samnites  that  he  would  take  the  field  In  person  againal 
tld  Romans,  and  in  the  mean  time  he  despatched  in  advance  a^'body 
of  three  thousand  men,  under  Cineas,  one  of  his  most  experienced 
generals,  to  join  the  Samnites,  B   C   279. 

5.  Pyrrhus  followed  shortly  aftei^  with  a  force  of  twenty  thou- 
sand  foot,  three  thousand  cavalry,  and  twenty  elephants,  the  first  that 
had  ever  been  seen  in  Italy.  Only  a  small  part  of  this  armament  landed 
in  safety,  a  storm  having  scattered  the  lleet  and  sunk  many  of  the 
ships.  Pyrrhus  landed  at  Tarentum,  in  the  south  of  Italy,  that  city 
havmg  put  itself  under  his  protection,  in  fear  of  the  Romans. 

6.  Tarentum  was  one  of  the  most  luxurious  cities  of  aiitiquity. 
The  inhabitants  were  almost  constantly  occupied  in  feasting,  dancing, 
and  other  amusements.  Pyrrhus,  finding  them  in  utter  ^neglect  of 
everything  pertaining  to  the  business  of  war,  gave  orders  to  shut  up 
all  the  places  of  public  entertainment,  and  to  prohibit  the  citizens 
from  all  such  amusements  as  rendered  soldiers  unfit  for  battle. 


CHAPTERTXLi3 
War  loith  Pyrrhus, 

1.  In  the  mean  time  the  Romans  did  all  that  prudence  could  sug- 
gest, to  meet  this  formidable  enemy.  The  consul  Lavinus  was  de- 
spatched with  a  large  army  to  the  south.  Pyrrhus  sent  an  ambassador, 
desiring  to  mediate  between  the  Romans  and  the  Tarentines ;  but 
Lffivinus  answered  that  he  neither  esteemed  him  as  a  friend  nor 
feared  him  as  an  enemy. 

2.  Both  armies  now  advancing,  soon  came  in  sight  of  each  other 
and  pitched  their  camps  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Liris.  As  Pyrrhus 
viewed  the  Roman  camp,  he  remarked  that  the  barbarians  seemed  to 
exhibit  nothing  of  the  barbarian  character  in  their  tactics.  At  that 
period  the  Greeks  were  accustomed  to  bestow  this  name  upon  all  peo- 
ple but  themselves. 

3.  The  object  of  Pyrrhus  was  to  prevent  the  Romans  from  passing 
the  river;  but  their  cavalry  out-manceuvred  him,  and  gaining  a  ford 
higher  up,  enabled  the  whole  army  to  cross.  Pyrrhus  then  led  on 
his  Thessalian  horee  ;  but  the  Romans  stood  their  ground.  He  next 
advanced  with  his  infantry.  Seven  times  did  the  troops  on  each  side 
advance  and  recede,  without  deciding  the  conflict. 

4.  Pyrrhus  now  brought  his  elephants  into  action.  The  sight  of 
these  strange  animals  struck  both  horses  and  men  with  terror,  and  the 
Romans  broke  their  ranks.  The  Thessalian  cavalry  then  charrred 
and  scattered  them,  and  the  rout  was  general.  The  remnant  of  Ihe 
Roman  army  fled  to  Venusia. 

5.  When  Pyrrhus  on  the  following  day  viewed  the  field  of  battle, 
he  cried,  "  Had  I  such  soldiers  as  the  Romans,  the  world  would  be 

XIJV.  —  I.  Whatof  Laevirms?  2.  Wlint  took  plnce  r  tlu*  Liris?  3  4  What  of 
Ae  haitle?  5.  What  was  the  remark  of  Pyrrhus  ?  (  r  what  of  the  emboauy  y 
Cuieas  1 


EMBASSY  OF  FABRICIUS 


65 


mine,  had  the  Romans  such  a  general  as  I,  the  world  would  be 
» heirs  I"  He  ordered  the  bodies  of  the  Romai  slain  to  be  burned 
and  buried  like  his  own  men. 

6.  Notwithstanding  this  victory,  Pyrrhus  was  still  unwilling  to 
drive  the  Romans  to  extremities,  and  sent  his  friend,  Cineas,  the 
orator,  with  proposals  of  peace.  This  person  was  so  skilful  a 
negotiator  that  Pyrrhus  often  asserted  he  had  won  more  towns  by 
the  eloquence  of  Cineas  than  by  the  swords  of  his  soldiers.  But  *vith 
all  his  art,  he  found  the  Romans  inflexible. 

7  Cineas  informed  his  master  that  Rome  looked  like  a  great  tem- 
ple, and  the  senate  an  assembly  of  kings.  While  he  was  there  two 
legions  had  been  raised  to  reinforce  Laevinus,  and  volunteers  had 
crowded  with  the  utmost  eagerness  to  enlist. 


chapter|xlv^ 

Embassy  of  Fabric ius, 

1.  An  embassy  was  soon  after  sent  from  Rome  to  negotiate  with 
Pyrrhus  about  an  exchange  of  prisoners.  At  the  head  of  this  depu- 
tation was  Fabricius,  an  ancient  senator,  who  had  long  been  a  pat- 
tern to  his  countrymen  for  his  contentment  amid  poverty.  Pyrrhus 
received  them  with  great  kindness,  and  to  try  the  integrity  of  the 
old  senator,  offered  him  rich  presents ;  but  these  were  refused. 

2.  The  next  day  Pyrrhus  ordered  one  of  his  largest  elephants  to 
be  placed  behind  a  curtain,  which  at  a  signal  was  drawn,  and  discov- 
ered the  animal  raising  his  trunk  over  the  Roman's  head  in  a  threat- 
ening manner.  Fabricius  stood  unterrified,  and  then  turning  to  the 
king°  said,  **  Neither  your  gold  yesterday  nor  your  big  beast  to-day 
can  move  /Tie." 

3.  Pyrrhus  was  gratified  to  find  so  much  integrity  and  firmness  in 
a  barbarian,  and  as  a  mark  of  his  regard,  he  released  all  the  Roman 
prisoners,  on  the  promise  of  Fabricius  that  if  the  senate  should  de- 
termine to  continue  the  war,  he  might  reclaim  them  if  he  thought 
proper. 

4.  In  a  short  time  the  Romans  began  to  recover  from  the  efl^ects 
of  their  defeat.  The  panic  occasioned  by  the  elephants  passed 
away,  and  a  large  Roman  army  again  took  the  field.  A  battle 
vvas  fought  near  Asculum;  but  the  Romans,  after  a  desperate 
resistance,  were  forced  to  give  way,  leaving  six  thousaiwl  men 
dead  on  the  spot.  Pyrrhus,  however,  had  met  with  such  loss  in 
the  battle  that  he  exclaimed,  *'  Another  victory  like  this,  and  I  am 
undone!" 

5.  The  next  season  the  campaign  was  opened  with  equal  vigor  on 
both  sides.     While  the  two  armies  were  approaching  each  other,  a 


XLV.  —  1,2.  How  did  Pyrrhus  put  Fabricius  to  trial?  3.  What  -vas  his  treatment 
of  Fabricius?  4.  Describe  the  battle  of  A<»^.ulum.  5.  What  of  the  4ot  to  poison  th« 
king  7    6.  How  did  Pyrrhus  behave  to  the  •  Dmans? 


66 


DEFEAT  OF  PYRRHUS. 


letter  was  Drought  to  Fabricius  from  the  physician  of  Pyrrhus,  o/ler- 
ing  to  poison  the  king  for  a  proper  rr-vard.  The  honest  old  Roman 
was  fired  with  indignation  at  this  treacherous  proposal,  and  immedi. 
ately  suggested  in  the  senate  that  information  of  it  should  be  sent  to 
Pyrrhus,  which  was  accordingly  done. 

6.  The  king  received  the  message  with  amazement  at  the  magna- 
nimity of  his  enemies,  and  exclaimed,  ^'Admirable  Fabricius,  it 
would  be  as  easy  to  turn  the  sun  from  his  course  as  thee  from  the 
path  of  honor."  He  despatched  Cineas  to  Rome  with  his  thanks,  and 
sent  home  all  his  prisoners  with  clothing  and  presents.  The  Romans, 
however,  refused  to  make  peace,  unless  Pyrrhus  would  quit  Italy. 

(      "    'Vt/. 


CHAPTER  XLV 


Defeat  of  Pyrrhcs. 

1  Pyrrhus  now  passed  over  to  Sicily,  and  in  about  two  years 
made  himself  master  of  nearly  the  whole  island.  During  his  absence, 
the  Romans  retrieved  their  affairs.  His  allies  solicited  him  to  return' 
and  he  again  took  the  field  against  the  Romans,  B.  C.  274,  with  an 
army  of  20,000  foot  and  3,000  horse. 

2.  Part  of  this  force  he  sent  into  Lucania,  against  the  consul  Len- 
tiilus.  With  the  remainder  he  advanced  to  engage  the  other  consul, 
Curius  Dentatus,  who  was  encamped  near  Beneventum,  in  Samnium^ 
m  a  strong  position,  on  a  height,  where  he  intended  to  await  the* 
arrival  of  his  colleague. 

3.  It  was  the  intention  of  Pyrrhus  to  attack  him  at  claybreak,  with 
some  picked  troops  and  elephants.  A  dream  terrified  him,  and  he 
wished  to  abandon  the  project ;  hut  his  ofHcers  represented  the 
impolicy  of  allowing  the  two  armies  of  the  enemy  to  unite,  and  he 
gave  orders  for  the  attack. 

4.  In  order  to  reach  the  heights  in  the  rear  of  the  Roman  camp,  the 
troops  of  the  king  were  compelled  to  make  a  circuitous  march  throucrh 
a  thick  forest,  by  torchlight.  They  lost  their  way  in  the  wood,  their 
toiches  burnt  out,  and  it  was  broad  day  when  they  reached  the  spot 
where  they  were  to  assail  the  Romans. 

5.  The  battle  began,  but  the  troops  of  Pyrrhus  being  fatio-ued  with 
their  long  march,  could  not  stand  against  the  fresh  Romans.  The 
consul  descended  into  the  plain  to  engage  the  main  army,  and  put  one 
wing  to  flight.  But  in  the  other  wing  the  Romans  were  driven  back 
to  their  camp  by  the  elephants.  Here,  however,  the  tide  of  victory 
was  turned.  ^ 

6.  The  Romans  having  discovered  that  nothing  terrif  ^d  the  ele- 
phants so  much  as  fire,  had  provided  abundance  of  arrows  headt^d 
with  tow  and  balls  compounded  of  tar,  wax  and  rosin  ;  these  were 
showered  in  a  blaze  upon  the  animals,  who  turned  in  affright  upon 

,i^yv]\^.\  %^rWhrofUie'i;lLrr'"l"H"^  ^-  What  of  the  drean, 

s.  iyrruu3.      q,o.   wnat  of  tUe  battle?     6.  How   were  the  elephants  f.igluenedf 


fs  -r 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  ROMAN  COMMOxXWEALTH. 


67 


iheir  own  ranks,  and  threw  them  all  into  disorder.     The  rout  was 
oomplelo,  and  the  camp  of  Pyrrhus  was  taken. 

7.  This  victory  served  as  a  lesson  to  the  Romans,  who  were  ever 
on  the  watch  for  improvement.  They  had  formerly  pitched  their 
tents  without  order,  but  by  this  new  capture  they  were  taught  to 
measure  out  the  ground,  and  fortify  the  whole  with  a  trench,  so  that 
many  of  their  subsequent  victories  are  to  be  ascribed  to  their  improved 
method  of  encamping. 

8.  Pyrrhus  now  utterly  despaired  of  prevailing  against  the  Romans  , 
he  therefore  abandoned  the  Tarentines  to  their  fate,  and  returned  to 
Epirus  with  the  remains  of  his  shattered  forces.  The  Tarentines, 
Avho  were  the  original  cause  of  the  war,  could  not  long  resist  the 
conquering  career  of  the  Romans,  who,  in  the  course  of  the  succeed- 
ing nine  years,  established  their  dominion  over  all  the  south  and  eas» 
of  Italy. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

Progress  of  the  Roman  Commonivealtk. 

1.  The  people  conquered  by  the  Romans,  in  general,  retained 
all  their  lands  in  full  possession,  paying  no  land-tax.  But  in  some 
cases  a  portion  of  their  territory  was  converted  into  Roman  public 
land,  and  assigned  to  colonists,  or  farmed  by  the  Romans.  The  con- 
quered people  were  governed  by  their  own  laws  and  magistrates  ;  but 
they  were  compelled  to  supply  troops  for  the  Roman  armies,  and  pay 
them.  ^ 

2.  About  this  time,  Appius  Claudius,  surnamed  Caecus,  or  the 
Blind,  distinguished  himself,  during  his  ofhce  of  censor,  by  the  con- 
struction of  the  celebrated  Appian  Way,  which,  when  completed, 
was  three  hundred  and  sixty  miles  in  length,  extending  from  Rome 
to  Brundusium.  It  was  paved  the  whole  distance  with  square  blocks 
of  stone.     He  likewise  built  the  first  aqueduct  at  Rome. 

3.  Something  like  literature  and  oratory  also  begins  to  be  visible 
at  this  time.  Brief  dry  chronicles  of  public  events  were  kept ;  the 
funeral  orations  made  on  men  of  rank  were  preserved  in  their  families. 
It  seems  to  have  been  the  custom  to  sing  the  praises  of  illustrious  men 
at  feast^  and  banquets.  Ballads  of  Rom.ulus  and  Remus  formed  the 
entertainment  of  the  common  people.  None  of  these  old  poems  have 
been  preserved,  but  it  is  supposed  that  Livy  incorporated  many  of 
them  in  his  Roman  history. 

4.  About  this  period  Cneius  Flavins  gained  a  great  popularity  bv 
two  acts  which  were  highly  beneficial  to  the  people.  The  dies  fasti, 
or  days  on  which  courts  sai,  and  justice  was  administered,  had  been 


7.  What  did  the  Romans  learn  by  this  victory?    8.  How  did  the  war  with  Pyrrhua 

XLVH.— 1.  How  did  the  Romans  treat  the  '«nquered  nations?  2.  What  of  ih-n 
^ppian  Way  J  3.  What  of  Roman  literature?  4,  5.  What  benefits  were  tonfjrred  yr 
Ihe  peopic  by  Cneius  FJavius  ? 


m 


FOUNDATION   OF  CARTHAGE. 


hitherto  divided  in  a  very  perplexing  way  throucrh  the  year,  anil  peo- 
pie  could  opiy  learn  them  by  consulting  the  pontiffs. 

5.  Flavins  made  a  calendar  in  which  the  nature  of  each  day  wa^ 
marked  ;  this  he  hung  up  in  the  forum,  and  thus  saved  the  common 
people  much  trouble  and  loss  of  time.  He  also  drew  up  and  pub- 
lished a  collection  of  all  the  lej^al  forms  in  civil  actions,  by  which  thi» 
business  of  law-suits  was  much  simplified. 


CHAPTER    XLVHI. 

Fozcndation  of  Carthage. 

1.  The  Romans,  having  overthrown  all  their  rivals  in  Italy,  bcffan 
to  look  abroad  for  further  conquests.  The  Carthaginians  were  then 
in  possession  of  a  part  of  Sicily,  and,  like  the  liomans,  only  wanted 
an  opportunity  of  embroiling  the  different  states  of  that  island  with 
one  another,  to  conquer  the  whole.  But  before  we  enter  upon  the 
history  of  the  memorable  wars  between  Rome  and  Carthaije  sve 
must  give  some  particulars  respecting  this  latter  nation 

2    Carthage  was   a   colony  of  the   Phcpnicians,  ftninded  on  tho 
northern  coast  of  Africa,  near  the  spot  where  l\inis  now  stan.ls 
about  a  century  before  the  foundation  of  Rome.     This  colony  was 
believed  to  have  been  led  from  Phoenicia  by  Elissa,  or  Dido,  sister  of 
the  kinj^  of  Tyre.     A  spot  of  land,  under  payment  of  tribute,  waa 
obtained  from  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  country,  and  a  town 
was  erected  there,  which  rapidly  increased  in  wealth  and  population. 
.^.    Ihe  Carthaginians   gradually  freed   themselves  from  tribute 
then  reduced  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  extended  their  dominion 
along  the  Mediterranean  coast  of  Africa,  from  Cyrene  nearly  to  the 
Atlantic.      1  hey  also  subjugated  the  Balearic  Isles  and  Sardinia,  and 
made  settlements  on  the  northern  coast  of  Sicily. 

4.  The  constitution  of  Carthage  is  highly  praised  by  Aristotle.  It 
was  like  those  of  the  most  flourishing  commercial  states  of  antiquity, 
a  mixture  of  aristocracy  and  democracy.  The  former  was  composed 
ot  the  ^mihes  of  greatest  wealth  and  influence  ;  and  from  these  all  the 
chiel  officers  of  state  were  selected,  who  served  without  salary.  The 
senate  was  constituted  much  like  that  of  Rome  ;  and  there  wore  two 
chief  magistrates,  called  suffetes,  like  the  Roman  consuls. 

5  1  he  Carthaginians  were  a  very  enterprising,  commercial  people, 
aiid  their  ships  ventured  out  of  the  Mediterranean  into  the  Atlantic. 
Ihey  made  trading  voyages  along  the  western  coast  of  Africa,  to 
many  parts  of  Spain,  and,  it  is  said,  to  the  British  Isles. 

(>.  Ihe  troops  of  Carthage  were  chiefly  mercenaries,  hired  in 
Africa,  Spain,  Gaul  and  Italy.  The  Carthaginians  were  remarkably 
sparing  of  the  blood  of  their  own  citizens ;  but  they  lavished  that  of 
their  mercenaries  with  reckless  prodigality. 


Df^nhL"^  ^■3^wCJ,r'"'^  ^"'^  '^'  i:"r"'  '''^^^    2.  What  of  the  f.u.ulation 


FIRST  PUNIC  WAR. 


61) 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

First  Pmiic  War,^ 

1.  When  Xerxes  invaded  Greece,  the  Carthaginians  took  advan- 
•xige  of  that  circumstance  to  attack  the  Greek  states  of  Sicily,  but  in 
this  attempt  they  suffered  a  most  disastrous  defeat  from  Gelon,  king 
of  Syracuse.  This,  however,  did  not  deter  them  from  new  endeavors 
to  extend  their  dominion  in  the  island,  where  they  carried  on  wars 
for  more  than  a  century,  till  at  length  they  were  brought  into  col- 
lision with  the  rising  power  of  Rome. 

2.  Iliero,  king  of  Syracuse,  B.  C.  264,  engaged  the  Carthaginians 
to  assist  him  in  a  war  with  the  Mamertines,  a  powerful  and  ferocious 
band  of  Italian  mercenaries,  who  had  seized  the  city  of  Messana. 
These,  on  the  other  hand,  put  themselves  under  the  protection  of 
Rome.  It  was  some  time,  however,  before  the  Romans  were  willing 
to  acknowledge  these  disreputable  allies,  but  finding  at  length  that 
the  Carthaginians  had  got  possession  of  the  citadel  of  Messana,  they 
prepared  for  war. 

3.  Thus  began  what  is  called  the  First  Punic  War.  A  Roman 
army  eluded  the  vigilance  of  the  Carthaginian  fleet,  and  landed  on 
Sicily.  Messana  fell  into  their  hands ;  successive  victories  over  the 
Syracusans  and  Carthaginians  soon  procured  allies  for  the  Romans 
among  the  Sicilian  states,  and  inspired  them  with  the  hopes  of  becom- 
ing masters  of  the  whole  island. 

4.  Hiero  now  deserted  his  old  allies,  and  forming  a  treaty  with  the 
Romans,  secured  the  tranquillity  of  his  kingdom  in  the  coming  con- 
test.    The  Carthaginians,  on  the  other  hand,  who  looked  upon  Sicily 
as  their  own,  were  filled  with  rage  at  the  intrusion  of  the  Romans 
They  hired  a  vast  number  of  mercenaries  in  Gaul,  Liguria  and  Spain 
and  formed  a  grand  military  and  naval  station  at  the  city  of  Agrigen 
tum,  in  Sicily. 

5.  The  Romans,  eager  to  possess  the  Carthaginian  magazines, 
immediately  laid  siege  to  Agrigentum,  notwithstanding  its  great 
natural  and  artificial  strength,  and  defeated  an  immense  army  that 
had  been  sent  to  its  relief.  The  garrison,  in  despair,  abandoned  the 
city,  which,  with  all  its  valuable  military  stores,  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Romans. 

6.  Several  of  the  towns  in  the  interior  of  Sicily  now  surrendered 
to  the  Romans,  but  those  on  the  coast  stood  too  much  in  awe  of  the 
Carthaginian  fleet,  to  follow  their  example.  The  coast  of  Italy  also 
suffered  from  the  Carthaginians,  for  their  navy  had  the  entire  com- 
mand of  the  sea. 


XLIX. —  I.  What  of  the  Carthaginians  in  Sicily?  2.  What  of  the  Mamertinesi 
a  How  did  the  First  Punic  War  be/srin  ?  4.  What  of  Hiero  ?  C  Agrigentum?  5.  What 
became  of  this  city  1    6.  What  further  success  had  the  Roma-  s  ? 

♦  Punic  is  the  Latin  word  for  Carthaginian.  The  people  f  this  nation  wer«  callH 
Pani  by  the  Romans. 


7C  NAVAL  VICTORY  OF  DUILIUSL 

CHAPTER^^^ 

Naval  Victory  of  Duilius, 

1.  Ihe  Romans  now  saw  that  they  must  meet  .he  Caiihagimans 
nn  their  own  element,  if  they  wished  to  prevail.  But  they  had  no 
ships  of  war,  nor  any  model  by  which  to  construct  one.  Under  such 
circumstances,  almost  any  people  but  the  Romans  would  have  yielded 
to  obstacles  which  appeared  insurmountable,  but  nothing  could  di.^- 
coura-g^e  or  intimidate  them. 

2.  They  began  to  construct  a  navy,  and  an  accident  at  this  time 
came  to  their  assistance.  A  Carthaginian  ship  of  war  was  driven 
ashore  on  the  southern  coast  of  Italy,  and  sened  them  for  a  model 
In  sixty  days'  time  they  built  a  fleet  of  one  hundred  and  Jiirty  ships. 
Meantime,  stages  had  been  erected,  on  which  the  sailors,  rowers,  and 
fighting  men  were  taught  the  manceuvres  to  be  practised  on  shipboard. 
Every  obstacle  was  surmounted  by  perseverance. 

3.  But  the  Romans  knew,  at  the  same  time  that  they  were  inferior 
to  their  enemy  in  naval  experience,  and  that  their  main  chance  of  suc- 
cess was  in  fighting  hand  to  hand,  as  on  shore.  To  accomplish  this, 
they  invented  a  machine  for  boarding,  called  a  croiv.  In  the  fore 
part  of  each  ship  they  set  up  a  mast  with  a  pulley-wheel  at  the  top,  by 
which  was  suspended  a  long  ladder,  furnished  with  a  sharp  iron  hook 
at  the  outer  end.  This  ladder  was  to  be  raised  on  approaching  the 
enemy's  ship,  and  let  fall  upon  her  deck  ;  being  thus  grappled  fast, 
the  boarders  could  rush  from  deck  to  deck  by  the  ladder. 

4.  The  consul  Duilius  was  the  first  commander  who  ventured  to 
sea  with  this  armament.  When  the  Carthaginians  saw  him,  they 
put  to  sea  with  a  hundred  and  thirty  ships,  confident  of  victory.  So 
much  did  they  despise  their  enemy,  that  they  did  not  take  pains  to 
form  in  order  of  battle.  At  the  strange  sight  of  the  croics,  they  were 
somewhat  puzzled,  but  soon  advanced  and  attacked  the  Romans. 

5.  The  crows  were  dropped,  and  the  Carthaginian  ships  were 
boarded  by  their  enemies  before  they  had  time  to  understand  this  new 
mode  of  naval  warfare.  Forty-four  sliips  were  taken  or  sunk. 
Three  thousand  of  the  Carthaginians  were  killed,  and  seven  thousand 
taken  prisoners. 

6.  The  account  of  this  unexpected  victory  was  received  at  Rome 
with  unbounded  exultation.  A  column,  decked  witli  the  rosfra,  or 
beaks  of  the  captured  ships,  was  erected  in  the  forum,  and  Duilius 
was  permitted,  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  to  have  a  torch  carried  before 
him,  and  to  be  preceded  by  a  flute-player,  when  he  returned  home 
from  a  feast. 


L.  —  1.  What  l3  said  of  shifw  of  war?     2.  How  did  the  Roman*  prepare  a  fleet 
3.  What  machine  did  ihey  invent?    4,  5    What  success  had  Duilii    ?    6.  What  -vhM 
done  by  the  Romans  in  coasequeace  ? 


^ 


REGULUS  INV^JES  AFRICA. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

Regulus  invades  Afriza, 


71 


r--.     (^..^^--'^■."■.V 


■j.^^A     'r.r^^^^ 


LO!:SINi:>BA^rl!TT  SB 


Regulus. 

1.  Several  other  naval  victories  followed  that  of  Duiims.  Tho 
Carthaginians  assembled  at  Lilybaeum  a  fleet  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  ships,  carrying  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men,  probably  the 
greatest  naval  armament  that  the  ancient  world  ever  witnessed.  The 
Romans  collected  at  Messana  three  hundred  and  thirty  ships,  with 
a  hundred  and  thirty-nine  thousand  men.  These  two  immense 
squadrons  encountered  each  other  off  Lilybaeum,  B.  C.  255. 

2.  The  Romans  were  commanded  by  the  consuls  Regulus  and 
Manlius,  tlie  Carthaginians  by  Hanno  and  Hamilcar.  An  action  took 
plaoe,  but  the  fleets  separated  without  a  decided  victory  on  either 
side.  The  Romans  returned  to  Sicily  to  refit.  They  then  sailed  for 
Africa,  it  having  been  determined  to  carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's 
countrv. 

3.  The  Carthaginian  fleet  being  too  weak  to  oppose  them,  they 


LI.  —  1.  What  was  the  magnitude  of  the  Roman  and  Oart'iaginian  fleets  at  Lilybaeum? 
%.  What  was  the  event  of  this  battle  7     3.  What  of  the   invasion  of  Africa  by  ih« 


72 


EMBASSY   OF  REGULUS  TO  KOMK. 


.anded  safely  near  Cape  Bon,  and  captured  the  town  of  Tlupea.  The 
country  from  this  place  to  the  city  of  Carthaj^e  was  like  a  garden, 
abounding  in  cornfields,  vineyards,  and  beautiful  country-seats  of  the 
nch  citizens  of  the  capital.  The  Romans  pillao-ed  and  devastated 
this  lovely  region,  subjecting  it  to  all  the  horrors  of  war. 

4.  The  Carthaginians  recalled  their  general,  Hamilcar,  from  Sicily, 
and  he  met  the  Roman  army,  under  the  consul  Reguius,  near  the 
river  Bagrada.  While  the  latter  lay  encamped  on  the  banks  of  this 
river,  they  are  said  to  have  encountered  an  enormous  serpent,  one 
hunilred  and  twenty  feet  in  length,  which  drove  the  soldiers  away 
when  they  went  to  the  stream  for  water. 

5.  It  was  found  necessary  to  employ  the  balista,  and  othei  military 
engines,  against  him  ;  by  these  he  was  at  length  killed.  I  lis  skin 
and  jaw-bones  were  sent  to  Rome,  where  they  were  preserved  in  one 
of  the  temples  for  many  years  afterwards. 

6.  A  battle  between  the  two  armies  now  took  place,  and  the  Car- 
thaginiaiis  were  defeated,  w^th  the  loss  of  seventeen  thousand  men 
killed,  and  five  thousand  men  and  eighteen  elephants  taken.  Regu- 
ius followed  up  his  advantage,  and  captured  seventy-five  towns,  rav- 
aging the  country  in  every  quarter. 

7.  The  Numidian  allies  of  the  Carthaginians  revolted,  and  all  the 
country-people  tied  into  the  city,  which  soon  began  to  suffer  from 
famine.  In  this  distress,  the  Carthaginians,  destitute  of  generals  at 
home,  sent  to  Sparta,  and  offered  the  command  of  their  armies  to 
Xantippus,  a  general  of  great  experience. 

8.  He  began  by  giving  instructions  to  the  magistrates  for  levying 
their  troops,  assuring  them  that  their  armies  had  been  overthrown, 
not  by  the  strength  of  the  Romans,  but  by  the  ignorance  of  their  own 
commanders.  / )  /I 

■ '    '  ■>:  //. 

CHAPTER   LII. 
hmhassy  of  Regidus  to  Rome. 

1  By  the  exertions  of  Xantippus,  the  Carthaginians  were  roused 
from  their  despondence,  and  a  respectable  army  was  soon  raised,  with 
which  he  took  the  field.  He  made  the  most  skilful  disposition  of  his 
forces,  placing  his  cavalry  on  the  wings,  and  the  elephants  at  proper 
intervals  behind  the  line  of  heavy-armed  infantry.  Then  bringing  up 
the  light-armed  troops  in  front,  he  directed  them  to  discharge  the  it 
missiles  and  retire  through  the  line  of  the  infantry. 

2  In  this  manner  he  engaged  the  Romans,  and  after  a  severe 
battle,  defeated  them  with  dreadful  slaughter.  The  greater  part  of 
their  army  w^as  destroyed,  and  Rrgulr.s  himself  taken  prisoner. 
Other  misfortunes  at  the  same  time  fell  upon  the  Romans.     Thev 


Romans?    4,  What  of  the  serpent  at  the  Bagrada ?    5.  How  was  he  killed?    6.  What 
was  the  success  of  Reeulus?     7.  What  was  done  by  the  Carthaginians  in  their  miafor 
tunes'    8.  Hnw  did  Xantippus  beqin  his  operations  ? 
'JI.  —  1.  What  was  the  success  of  Xantippus  ?    2. 


What  misfortunes  happened  to  the 


DEATH  OF  REGULUS. 


7:^ 


lost  their  fleet  in  a  storm,  and  thus  the  enormous  it-eaith  w^hich  had 
been  acquired  by  the  plunder  of  the  Carthaginian  territory  was 
swallowed  up  by  the  waves. 

3.  Agrigentum  was  taken  by  Carthalo,  the  Carthaginian  general 
and  a  new  fleet,  which  was  built  shortly  afterward,  shared  the  fate 
of  the  first  one.  The  Carthaginians,  seeing  their  enemy  thus  hum- 
bled, begun  negotiations  for  peace,  through  the  instrumentality  ol 
Reguius.  They  had  kept  him  four  years  in  imprisonment,  and  flat 
tered  themselves  that,  weary  of  his  bondage  and  exile,  he  would 
3xert  himself  for  a.  pacification. 

4.  He  w-as  accordingly  sent  with  their  ambassadors  to  Rome,  on 
his  promise  to  reiurn,  if  the  negotiation  proved  unsuccessful.  When 
the  old  general  approached  the  gates  of  Rome,  numbers  of  his  friends 
came  out  to  meet  him.  Their  acclamations  resounded  through  the 
city,  but  Reguius  refused,  with  settled  melancholy,  to  enter  the 
gates. 

5.  In  vain  was  he  entreated  to  visit  once  more  his  little  dwelling, 
and  share  in  the  joy  which  his  return  inspired.  He  persisted  in  say- 
ing that  he  was  now  a  slave,  belonging  to  the  Carthaginians,  and 
unfit  to  partake  in  the  liberal  honors  of  his  country. 

6.  The  senate  assembled  outside  the  walls,  as  usual,  to  give  audi- 
ence to  the  ambassadors.  Reguius  opened  the  business  as  he  had 
been  instructed  by  the  Carthaginian  council,  and  the  aml)assadors 
confirmed  his  statements.  The  senate  themselves,  who  were  weary 
of  a  war  which  had  now  continued  for  fourteen  years,  were  inclined 
lo  peace.  But  wnen  Reguius  was  called  upon  to  speak,  he  asto"~ 
shed  every  one  by  giving  his  voice  for  the  continuance  of  tlie  war. 


CHAPTER   LIII. 

Death  of  Regidus, 

1.  The  Romans  pitied  and  admired  the  man  who  had  spoken  with 
such  eloquence  against  his  private  interest,  and  were  unwilling  to 
resolve  upon  a  measure  which  was  to  be  his  ruin.  But  Reguius 
relieved  them  from  their  embarrassment  by  breaking  off  the  negotia- 
tions abruptly,  and  without  embracing  his  family  or  taking  formal 
leave  of  his  friends,  he  returned  immediately  with  the  amlxissadors 
lo  Carthage. 

2.  As  the  Roman  historians  relate  the  story,  the  C:  rthaginian.^ 
were  wrought  up  to  the  most  furious  indignation,  when  they  heard 
the  conduct  of  Reguius,  and  determined  to  punish  him  with  the  most 
barbarous  torture.  His  eyelids  were  first  cut  off,  and  he  was  immured 
in  a  dark  dungeon  ;  then  he  was  taken  out  and  exposed  with  his  face 
\G  the  burning  sun.     At  last,  when  the  malice  of  \\%  enemies  was 

Romans?    3.  What  was  done  hy  the  Carthaginians  to  procure  a  peace?    4.  How  na» 
K?(rulu3  received  at  Rome?    5    How  didhe  behave?     G.   What  idvicedid  he  sive  to  liic 
Kenate  ? 
LHl  —  1    \V!al  of  the  return  of  Regrulus  to  Carthage?    2.    »Vhat  is  llie  story  of  14« 


74 


DEATH  OF  REGULTJS. 


fatigued  with  studying  al.  the  arts  of  torture,  they  threw  him  into  t 
cask  set  with  sharp  spikes ^  where  he  died  in  proloiiged  affonies. 


Regulus  in  Prison  at  Carthage. 

3.  Regulus  no  doubt  ended  his  days  a  prisoner  at  Carthage,  bui 
{here  is  reason  to  beheve  that  he  died  a  natural  death,  and  that  the 
story  of  his  torture  was  invented  by  the  Romans  as  a  pretext  for  the 
barbarity  with  which  they  afterwards  treated  the  Carthaginians. 

4.  Both  sides  now  took  up  arms  with  increased  animosity.  The 
Romans  were  defeated  jA  many  battles,  and  had  the  Carthaginians 
possessed  the.  steady  r^lution  and  perseverance  of  their  enemies, 
they  would  have  crushfd  them  effectually.  The  consul  P.  Claudius 
Pulcher,  attacked  Drepanum,  in  Sicily,  with  a  fleet  of  a  hundred  and 
twenty-three  ships.  He  hoped  to  surprise  the  place  by  sailinjj  in  the 
night,  but  it  was  daybreak  when  he  arrived,  and  the  Carthaginian 
admiral,  Adherbal,  had  time  to  sail  out  of  the  harbor  and  meet  him. 

5.  The  consul's  contemptuous  disregard  of  religious  auspices 
had  a  disheartening  effect  upon  his  men.  The  sacred  chickens  would 
not  take  their  food,  which  was  regarded  as  an  ill  omen.  "//*  thci/ 
will  not  cat,  let  them  drink,''''  said  the  consul,  and  ordered  them  to  l)e 
thrown  into  the  sea. 

6.  A  battle  begun  with  what  was  thought  an  act  of  impiety,  could 
not  be  prosperous ;  the  Romans  were  totally  defeated,  and  the  consul 
escaped  with  only  thirty-three  ships.  Shortly  afterward  the  Romans 
lost  another  fleet  in  a  storm,  and  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  men-of- 
war  and  eigM  hundred  transports  laden  with  stores,  not  one  was 
saved.  Afte^his  disaster,  the  Roman  senate  encouraged  the  peoj)le 
40  fit  out  privateers. 


death'*    3.  What  is  the  probable  truth?    4.  How  was  the  war  {m^ecuieiH    6,  Wliaf 
of  Claudiu.>»  Pulcher  and  the  chickens  ?    6.  What  w:vs  the  eve.  .:  of  ilie  iMtUt  which  fo] 


END  OF   THE  FIRST  PUNIC  WAR 


76 


CHAPTER  LIY 


End  of  the  Fi,  st  Punic  War. 

1.  But  no  misfortunes  could  overcome  the  inflexible  perLF.verance 
of  the  Romans,  and  their  renewed  exertions  at  last  turned  the  tide 
af  war.  Fabius  Buteo  once  more  showed  them  the  way  to  naval 
victory,  by  defeating  a  considerable  squadron  of  the  Carthaginans. 
Lucius  Catulus,  who  commanded  a  fleet  built  and  equipped  by  the 
private  subscriptions  of  some  patriotic  individuals,  gained  a  still  more 
important  victory,  in  which  the  Carthaginian  naval  power  was  almost 
annihilated  by  the  loss  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  ships. 

2.  The  Carthaginians  were  at  length  compelled  to  sue  for  peace, 
and  the  terms  exacted  by  the  Romans  were  the  same  which  Regulus 
had  offered  at  the  gates  of  Carthage.  The  Carthaginians  agreed  tr 
pay  one  thousand  talents  of  silver  for  the  expenses  of  the  war,  and 
twenty-two  hundred  within  ten  years ;  to  give  up  Sicily  and  all  the 
islands  near  it ;  to  abstain  from  making  war  with  any  of  the  allies  of 
Rome,  and  from  sending  any  ship  of  war  into  any  part  of  the  Roman 
dominions  ;  lastly,  all  prisoners  and  deserters  were  to  be  delivered  up 
without  ransom. 

3.  In  this  manner  ended  the  First  Punic  War,  B.  C.  241.  The 
Romans  suffered  immense  losses  in  this  struggle  of  twenty-four  years. 
Seven  hundred  of  their  ships  of  war  were  taken  or  destroyed  ;  the 
population  of  the  republic  and  her  allies  was  greatly  diminished,  and 
the  enormous  property  taxes  that  were  imposed  during  this  period 
caused  great  distress.  Extensive  sales  of  land  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  money,  gave  origin  to  that  enormous  inequality  of  wealth 
which  afterwards  proved  so  pernicious  to  the  state. 

4.  The  temple  of  Janus  was  now  shut  for  the  second  time  since 
the  foundation  of  the  city.  The  Romans,  being  in  friendship  with 
all  nations,  had  leisure  for  turning  their  attention  to  the  arts  of  peace. 
They  began  to  ^elish  poetry,  the  first  liberal  art  which  rises  in  every 
civilized  nation/ and  the  first  also  that  decays.^^ 

5.  Hitherto  tliey  had  been  entertained  only* with  rude  ballads,  sim- 
ilar to  those  of  Chevy  Chase  and  Robin  Hood,  or  with  the  boorish 
drolleries  called  Fescennine  verses.  They  now  invented  graver  com- 
positions, of  a  satirical  character ;  after  which  they  imitated  th«^ 
drama  of  tlie  Greeks.  Elegiac,  pastoral,  and  didactic  compositions 
began  soon  to  appear  in  the  Latin  language. 


LIV.  —  1.  Who  restored  the  fortune  of  the  Romans?  2.  On  what  terms  vaa  jiCrtC* 
vonclulod?  :i  What  was  the  result  of  the  F-rst  Punic  War  ?  4.  What  wa.  Iheun^ii 
ion  of  The  Romans  after  this?    5.  What  of  'neir  literature,  ike.  ? 


/fi  LLYRIAN  AND  GALLIC  WAR. 


CHAPTER   LV 

lllyrian  and  Gallic  War, 

1  The  next  hostilities  of  the  republic  were  directed  against  the 
Illyrians,  a  people  inhabiting  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Adriatic.  Tl  ese 
had  plundered  some  Roman  traders ;  the  senate  sent  ambassador* 
to  the  lllyrian  queen,  complaining  of  the  act;  but  instead  of  gnmtinq 
redress,  she  ordered  them  to  be  murdered.  A  war  ensued,  most  of 
the  lllyrian  towns  were  captured,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  coun- 
try was  made  tributary  to  Rome. 

2.  The  Gauls  were  the  next  nation  visited  by  the  Roman  army. 
These  barbarians,  finding  the  armies  of  the  republic  disbanded,  made 
a  sudden  irruption  into  Etruria.  They  wasted  everything  with  fire 
and  sword,  and  advanced  to  within  three  days'  journey  of  Rome.  An 
army  was  quickly  raised  and  despatched  against  them. 

3.  The  Romans,  who  had  wonderfully  improved  in  the  science  of 
war  since  their  first  encounters  with  these  people,  easily  surrounded 
the  Gallic  army.  It  was  in  vain  that  these  hardy  barbarians,  who 
had  nothing  but  their  courage  to  protect  them,  formed  two  fronts  to 
oppose  their  adversaries.  Their  naked  bodies  and  undisciplined  forces 
were  unable  to  withstand  the  shock  of  an  enemy  complrtely  armed, 
and  skilled  in  military  evolutions. 

4.  A  dreadful  conflict  ensued,  in  whicn  forty  thousand  Gauls 
were  killed,  and  ten  thousand  taken  prisoners.  Another  defeat, 
where  Viridomarus,  the  Gallic  king,  was  killed  by  the  hand  of  Mar- 
cellus,  the  Roman  consul,  forced  the  nation  to  beg  for  peace.  The 
dominion  of  the  republic  now  extended  over  the  whole  of  Italy. 
Sicily,  Sardinia,  Corsica,  Illyria,  and  Corcyra,  and  the  towns  on  the 
coast  of  Epirus. 

5.  But  while  the  Romans  were  thus  extending  their  sway  in  Italy 
and  its  neighborhood,  the  Carthaginians  were  eoually  active  in 
strengthening  their  power  in  the  west.  They  had  made  peace  solely 
because  tht3y  were  exhausted  by  the  length  of  the  war,  and  there- 
fore took  the  earliest  opportunity  of  breaking  the  treaty. 

6.  Tliey  laid  siege  to  Saguntum,  a  city  of  Spain,  in  alliance  with 
Rome.  Ambassadors  were  sent  by  the  Roman  senate  to  Carthage, 
complaining  of  this  breach  of  the  peace,  and  demanding  that  Hanni- 
bal, the  general  who  had  advised  the  measure,  should  be  deliverc<i 
up.     This  being  refused,  the  Second  Punic  War  began,  B.  C.  219. 


LV.  -  1.  Whit  of  the  lllyrian  war?  2.  The  Gaiils  ?  3,4.  What  success  had  il.€ 
R<)inan>)  a!;ai;is'.  iicin?  5.  Whai  ofthe  Car:haginianii }  C.  iiuw  did  the  Secc  id  Puo'C 
War  iMgia  ? 


COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  SECOND  PUNIC  WAR 


77 


CHAPTER   LVI. 

Commencement  of  the  Second  Punic  War,  218,  B.  C, 


Hannibal, 

1.  The  Carthaginians  intrusted  the  management  of  the  war  to 
Hannibal.  This  extraordinary  man  had  been  the  sworn  foe  of  Rome 
Irom  his  childhood  ;  his  father  having  carried  him  to  the  altar  when 
very  young,  and  caused  him  to  take  an  oath  never  to  hold  friendship 
with  the  Romans,  nor  to  desist  from  opposing  them,  till  he  or  they 
should  be  no  more. 

2.  Hannii)al  was  one  of  the  greatest  military  commanders  that 
ever  existed.  His  courage  in  meeting  danger  was  equalled  by  his 
presence  of  mind  in  every  vicissitude  and  chance  of  battle.  No  fa- 
tigue wa^able  to  subdue  his  body,  nor  any  misfortune  to  break  his 
Bpirit.  He  was  esteemed  alike  by  his  generals  and  the  troops  whom 
he  conunanded. 

3.  At  twenty-five  years  of  age  he  took  the  command  of  the  Car- 
thagmian  army  m  Spain,  and  having  overrun  the  whole  country,  and 
captured  Saguntum,  he  determined  to  carry  the  war  into  Italy.     As- 


LVI.  —  L   Who  was  the  Carthaginian  general  in  the  Second  Punic  War?     What  oattj 


7» 


78 


HANNIBAL'S  PASSAGE  OF  TH?  ALPb 


Bembling  in  army  of  ninety  thousand  foot,  twelve  thousand  horse 
and  thirt)  seven  elephants,  at  New  Carthage,  he  committed  the  ^o^ 
ernment  if  Spain  to  his  brother,  Hasdrubal,  and  marched  toward  ♦he 
Alps  with  the  greater  i)art  of  his  forces. 

4.  When  he  reached  tlic  Rhone,  lie  found  a  large  army  of  Gauls 
drawn  up  on  the  opposite  bank  to  dispute  his  passage.  The  diflicul- 
ty  of  transporting  the  elephants  across  the  stream  threatened  a  fatal 
delay,  as  a  Roman  anny  was  also  approaching  by  rapid  marches. 

5.  Hannibal,  by  a  skilful  manoeuvre,  overcame  this  difficulty.  He 
Bent  a  detachment  to  cross  the  stream  higher  up,  under  cover  of  the 
night,  with  orders  to  attack  the  Gauls  in  the  rear,  on  a  signal  being 
given.  Everything  being  prepared,  he  gave  the  sign,  and  began  to 
pass  the  stream. 

6.  The  Gauls  rushed  down  to  oppose  him,  but  soon  saw  their 
camp  behind  them  in  flames,  and  after  a  short  resistance  turned  and 
fled.     The  Roman  army  then  crossed  the  Rhone. 

7.  The  elephants,  dreading  the  water,  could  not  be  compelled  to 
enter  boats ;  they  were  therefore  conveyed  across  by  the  following 
artifice.  Floats,  or  rafts  of  timber,  covered  with  earth,  were  pre^- 
pared  and  joined  to  the  river's  margin.  The  animals,  deceived  by 
their  appearance,  took  them  for  firm  ground,  and  suffered  themselves 
to  be  led  upon  them.  The  floats  were  then  set  loose  and  towed 
across  by  boats. 

8.  Having  marched  one  hundred  miles  up  the  east  bank  of  the 
Rlione,  Hannibal  wheeled  to  the  right,  and  directed  his  course  to  he 
foot  of  the  Alps,  over  which  he  was  to  explore  a  new  passatTe  to 
Italy.  ° 


CHAPTER  jJLVm 

HaiinihaVs  Passage  of  the  Alps. 

1.  Ir  was  almost  vnnter  when  this  desperate  project  was  undo 
laken,  and  the  season  gave  it  additional  horrors  and  difliculties.  The 
•remendous  height  and  steepness  of  the  mountains,  capped  with  snow 
/hat  seemed  to  rest  among  the  clouds  ;  the  mountaineers,  of  barbarous 
irid  fierce  aspect,  dressed  in  skins,  with  long  shaggy  hair,  presenter 
;i  picture  that  struck  every  spectator  with  terror  and  astonishment. 

2.  The  Gauls  attacked  the  Carthaginian  army  with  showers  of 
stones  among  the  narrow  defiles  of  the  mountains,  and  rolled  down 
great  rocks  upon  them  from  the  precipices.  Vast  numbers  of  men, 
horses  and  elephants,  were  lost  before  the  army  escaped  from  these 
dangers.  On  tlie  ninth  day  they  reached  the  summit  of  the  Alps, 
where  they  halted  two  days  to  rest. 

3.  Here  a  great  fall  of  snow,  and  the  prospect  of  further  diflficul- 
iies,  disheartened  the  soldiers  ;  but  Hannibal,  by  pointing  out  to  them 


•Jid  he  iHKe?    2.  What  was  his  character?    3.  How  did  he  begin  the  war  ?   4.5.  6  How 
did  he  fross  the  Rhone?    7,8.  How  were  the  elephants  carried  over? 
lYII.  — 1.  What  of  the  Alps?    2.  The  march  of  Hawjjbal's  armyl    3.  What  'n^k 


HANNIBAL'S  PASSAGE  OF  THE  ALPS. 


7y 


fhc  rich  plain  of  the  Po,  and  assuring  them  of  the  facility  of  the 
•jonquest  of  Italy,  raised  their  spirits,  and  they  recon.menced  theii 
march 


Hannibal  crossing  the  Alps. 

4.  The  difliculties  now  increased  ;  the  new-fallen  snow  had  covered 
up  the  paths,  and  they  lost  their  way;  great  numbers  fell  down 
precipices  and  were  killed.  At  last  they  found  their  course  stopped 
by  a  rock,  almost  perpendicular,  which  shelved  down  one  thousand 
feet  in  depth. 

5.  They  pitched  their  camp  here  amidst  the  deep  snow,  and  the 
next  day  set  to  work  to  cut  a  passage  through  the  rock.  This  was 
done  by  making  large  fires  of  wood  on  the  rock  till  it  was  heated 
red  hot,  and  then  quenching  it  with  vinegar. 

6.  In  this  manner  the  solid  stone  was  sjdit  into  fragments,  and  a 
passage  was  opened  through  which  the  whole  army  pnssed,  and  at 
length  reached  the  open  country  on  the  southern  side  of  the  moun- 
tains. Fifteen  days  in  all  were  spent  in  crossing  the  Alps  ;  the  route 
was  probably  the  passage  now  known  as  that  of  Mont  Cenis. 

7.  Hannibal  having  mustered  his  forces,  found  that  he  hnd  lost 
.»ne  half  in  passing  the  mountains ;  the  remainder  consisted  of  twen- 
ty-six thousand  men,  Africans  and  Spaniards. 

8.  When  the  news  of  this  invasion  of  Italy  reached  Rome,  au 
army  under  Scipio  was  sent  to  oppose  him.  They  met  nejir  the 
river  Ticinus,  and  the  Romans  were  compelled  to  retreat,  with  con- 
:»iderable  loss.  Hannibal,  thus  victorious,  took  the  most  prudent 
precautions  to  increase  his  army,  sparing  the  possessions  of  the 
Cisalpine  Gauls,  and  plundering  those  only  of  the  Romans  ;  the 
jountry  people,  therefore,  flocked  to  his  standard  with  great  alacrity. 

Jace  on  tiie  top  of  the  Alps  ?  4.  How  was  the  march  of  the  army  stopped  ?  5,  6.  How 
d!  I  the  Carthaginians  split  the  rocks  ?  Where  did  they  cross  the  mountains  t  7.  W  at 
was  the  ioss  of  Hannibal  1    8.  What  success  had  he  aflerwarJs  ?  ^ 


(Za^--/^-^ 


CAMPAIG*    OF  HANNIBAL  IN    ITALY. 


80 


CHAPTER  nvn 

Campaign  of  Hannibal  in  Italy. 

1.  The  consul  Sempronius  was  now  recalled  fro.n  Sicily,  and 
another  Rianan  army  took  the  field  against  Hannibd.  The  river 
Trebbia  was  the  scene  of  tlie  next  engagement.  The  wily  Cartlia- 
£Tinian,  knowing  the  impetuosity  of  the  Romans,  detached  a  thousand 
eavalry,  each  trooper  carrying  a  foot-soldier  behind  him,  to  cross  the 
r.ver  and  ravage  the  enemy's  territory. 

2.  This,  as  he  had  foreseen,  provoked  the  Romans  to  a  battle  ;  the 
Carthaginians,  pretending  a  panic,  fled  to  the  river.  The  Romans 
pursued  them  across  the  stream,  which  was  swollen  by  a  heavy  fall 
of  rain.  It  was  a  cold,  winter  morning,  and  the  Romans  had  been 
roused  from  their  sleep  to  fight  at  the  first  alarm,  without  taking  their 
break  fusts. 

3.  When  they  had  waded  across  the  river,  and  were  benumbed  by 
the  intense  coldness  of  the  water,  they  were  suddenly  encountered 
by  the  whole  of  the  Carthaginian  army,  drawn  up  and  prepared  for 
their  reception.  The  Romans,  chilled,  hungry  and  fatigued,  could 
not  Hiaintain  their  ground  against  fresh  troops,  but  were  put  to  a 
complete  rout.  Twenty-six  thousand  of  them  were  killed  or  drowned 
in  the  river. 

4.  A  body  of  ten  thousand  were  all  that  survived ;  these,  finding 
themselves  surrounded  on  every  side,  broke  desperately  through  the 
enemy's  ranks,  and  fought  retreating,  till  they  found  shelter  in  tiie 
city  of  Placentia.  Hannibal,  after  this  victory,  led  his  troops  into 
winter  quarters. 

5.  Early  the  next  spring  he  attempted  to  cross  the  Apennines,  but 
a  violent  tempest  of  thunder,  hail,  wind  and  rain,  obliged  him  to  de- 
sist. Another  battle  was  fought  near  Placentia,  in  which  the  Ro- 
mans were  defeated. 

6.  Haani])al  then  took  up  his  march  for  the  south,  through  a  region 
full  of  marshes.  Four  days  and  three  nights  were  consumed  in 
wading  amid  mud  and  water ;  the  men  suflfered  every  hardship. 
Hannibal  lost  one  of  his  eyes,  and  almost  all  the  beasts  of  burden 
perished.  At  length  he  reached  Etruria,  where  the  consul  Flaminius 
lay  encamped  to  meet  him. 

7.  Hannibal,  having  learned  the  character  of  this  commander,  who 
was  vain,  rash,  and  altogether  unskilled  in  military  affairs,  deter- 
mined to  bring  him  to  an  engagement  before  he  could  be  reinforced 
by  the  arrival  of  his  colleague.  He  therefore  moved  onward  to  the 
south,  laying  waste  the  country. 

8.  Flaminius,  enraged  at  the  sight  of  these  devastation^ ,  w:is 
eager  t3  come  to  blows.  Hannibal  retreated  before  the  Romans  till 
he  had  decoyed  them  into  a  narrow  pass  between  the  hills  o  C'Ortonn 
and  lake  Thrasymenus. 

LVIIL  — 1.  Who  commanded  ihe  Romans  at  the  bailie  of  Trebbia?  2,  3.  Describe 
the  iKillle.  4.  What  was  the  result  jf  5.  What  of  Hannibal's  attempt  to  cross  the  Ap- 
•amines?  6.  What  of  hia  march  to  Etruria?  7.  How  did  he  prov)ke  Flaiuiniu-j  U 
oattle  ?    8.  To  what  place  did  he  decoy  him? 


BAITLE  OF  THRASYMENUS. 


81 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

Battle  of  Thrasymenus. 

1.  Here  thr  Carthaginian  general  placed  his  troops  in  ambush,  sd 
that  the  Romans  were  hemmed  in  between  the  enemy  and  the  lake 
before  they  suspected  their  danger.  An  accident  favored  the  strata- 
gem of  the  Carthaginians  on  this  occasion.  As  the  Romans  entered 
the  valley  early  in  the  morning,  a  thick  fog  rose  from  the  lake  and 
filled  the  lower  part  of  the  valley. 

2.  Thus  tlie  Romans  were  unable  to  see  their  enemies,  or  even 
their  own  'me  of  march,  while  the  Carthaginians  on  the  hills  were  in 
the  sunshine.  Never  was  a  military  stratagem  more  successful. 
On  a  signal  given,  the  Carthaginians  rushed  down  from  the  hills  and 
fell  upon  their  enemy  in  front,  xiank  and  rear. 

3.  The  Romans,  not  having  time  or  space  to  form  in  order  of  bat- 
tle, were  cut  down  in  columns,  and  their  total  defeat  was  speedily 
accomplished.  Fifteen  thousand  were  killed  or  driven  into  the  lake 
and  drowned.  Flaminius  was  among  the  slain.  Six  thousand  were 
made  prisoners,  and  ten  thousand  saved  themselves  by  dispersion  and 
dight. 

4.  During  this  battle  a  dreadful  earthquake  took  place,  which  de- 
stroyed many  cities,  overturned  mountains,  and  stopped  rivers  in 
itKMr  courses  ;  but  such  was  the  fury  of  the  combatants,  that  not  one 
of  them  was  sensible  of  this  great  convulsion  of  nature. 

Such  the  storm  of  battle  on  that  day, 

And  such  the  fury  whose  convulsion  blinds 

To  all  save  carnase,  that  beneath  the  fray 

An  earthquake  rolled  unhecdedly  away. 

None  felt  stern  nature  rocking  at  his  feet, 

And  yawning  forth  a  c:rave  for  those  who  lay 

Upon  their  bucklers  ior  a  winding  sheet. 

Such  is  th'  absorbing  hale  when  warring  nations  meet. 

Byron. 

5.  The  people  of  Rome  were  quite  overwhelmed  at  the  catastro- 
plie  of  Thrasymenus,  but  the  senate  remaintid  unmoved  and  resolute. 
They  appointed  Fabius  Maximus  dictator.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
courage,  but  with  a  happy  mixture  of  caution.  He  saw  that  the 
only  way  of  obtaining  any  advantage  over  the  enemy  was  by  harass- 
mg  and  fatiguing  them,  without  coming  to  a  decisive  battle. 

6.  For  this  purpose  he  always  encamped  upon  the  highest  ^rrounds. 
inacxiessible  to  the   enemy's   cavalry.     Whenever  they  moved,  he 
watched  their  motions,  straitened  their  quarters,  and  cut  off  their  pro 
v^isinns.     By  these  arts  Fabius  acquired  the  name  of  Cunctator,  oi 
the  Delayer 

LIX.  —  L  How  were  ihe  Romans  siumled  at  the  battle  of  Thrasymenus?  What  acci 
de lit  favored  the  Carthaginians?  2.  How  did  the  battle  iHjein?  3  What  was  the  re 
suit?  4.  What  remarkable  event  hapfxiiied  during  the  battle?  5  What  was  done  V 
IVonie}    6.  What  waa  the  conduct  of  Fabius  ? 

6 


82 


FA  131  us  MAXIMUS. 


CHAPTER  LX. 

Fabius  Mazi?nus. 

1.  Purs  7  ng  this  cautious  system  of  tactics,  Fabiia  at  len^li  en- 
closed Hannibal  amonjr  the  mountains,  where  it  was  hardly  possible, 
for  him  to  escape.  The  Carthaginian,  however,  rescued  himself  bv 
one  of  those  stratagems  which  only  men  of  prompt  resources  can 
invent. 

2.  He  procured  two  thousand  ^xen,  and  flistenhrr  bundles  of 
brushwood  to  their  horns,  set  them  on  fire  at  night,  ai.d  drove  them 
tow^ard  the  heights  occupied  by  the  Romans.  The  oxen,  tossing 
their  heads  and  running  wildly  up  the  heights,  seemed  to  fill  the 
whole  forest  with  fire. 

3.  The  Roman  sentinels  and  outposts,  that  were  stationed  to  guard 
the  mountain  passes,  seeing  such  a  body  of  flames  advancing  towards 
them,  fled  in  consternation.  By  this  stratagem  Hannibardrew  off 
his  army,  and  escaped  through  the  defiles,  though  with  considerable 
loss  to  his  rear  guard. 

4.  Fabius,  still  pursuing  the  same  cautious  policy,  followed  Han- 
nibal in  all  his  movements  ;  but  before  long  he  was  recalled  to  Rome. 
On  his  departure  from  the  army,  he  gave  strict  orders  to  Minucius, 
who  held  the  command  in  his  absence,  not  to  hazard  an  engagement. 

5.  The  latter  disregarded  these  orders.  He  quitted  the  strong  po- 
sition on  the  hills  which  had  been  occupied  by  Fabius,  and  descend- 
ing to  the  plains,  engaged  the  enemy  in  some  slight  actions  with 
success.  These  advantages  were  greatly  exaggerated  at  Rome,  and 
the  people,  who  were  weary  of  the  salutary  caution  of  Fabius,  were 
induced  to  pass  a  decree  establishing  Minucius  on  an  equality  of  com- 
mand with  the  dictator. 

6.  Fabius  made  no  complaint,  but  on  returning  to  the  camp  divided 
the  army  with  his  colleague.  Each  now  pursued  his  own  separate 
plan,  and  Hannibal,  by  skilful  manoeuvres,  was  soon  enabled  to  draw 
Minucius  into  an  engagement,  where  his  troops  would  have  been  cut 
otf  to  a  man,  had  not  Fabius  sacrificed  his  private  resentment  to  the 
public  good,  and  hastened  to  their  relief. 

7.  Minucius  candidly  acknowledged  his  fault,  and  the  whole  army 
encamped  together  again.     On  the  expiration  of  his  year  of  office 
Fabius  withdrew  from  the  command  of  the  army,  and  his  place  was 
supplied  by  Terentius  A'arro,  a  man  of  mean  origin,  with  nothing 
but  his  wealth  and  self-conceit  to  recommend  him. 

8.  The  associate  of  Varro  in  the  command  was  ^milius  Paulus 
a  man  of  quite  different  character,  experienced  in  the  science  of  war 
cautious  in  action,  and  imbued  with  a  thorough  contempt  for  his  col 
league.  The  Roman  army  was  now  ninety  thousand  strong,  and  thf 
commanders  determined  to  try  the  fortune  of  war  with  Hannibal^ 
who  was  encamped  near  Cannae,  in  Apulia. 


LX.  —  1  Hovv  were  the  Carthaginians  ensnared  by  Fabius  ?  2,  3.  How  did  Hannibal 
extricate  himself?  4.  Who  took  command  of  the  Romans  on  the  depart-. re  of  Fahins  i 
&.  What  was  done  by  Minucius?  6.  What  look  place  on  the  divisio  .  (»r  li.e  army  i 
T^Who  fmally  succeeded  Fabiu.s  ?     8.    What  resolution  wa.«.  adopted   by  Varro  ukt 

I 

4 

V 


BArrLF  OF  CANNiE. 


CHAPTER  ^XlI 

Datt^   of  CaiincB, 


8a 


Hannibal  at  Canuce. 

!.  As  the  Romans  approached,  Hannibal  took  a  position  bringiijo 
the  wind  in  his  rear,  which  at  that  season  blowing  constantly  one 
way,  and  carrying  with  it  great  clouds  of  dust  from  the  parched  plains 
behind,  he  knew  must  greatly  distress  the  advancing  enemy. 

2.  The  Carthaginian  forces  amounted  to  but  sixty  thousand.  The 
consuls,  on  their  arrival  in  sight  of  Hannibars  army,  agreed  to  take 
the  command  on  alternate  days,  ^jiiilius  commanded  on  the  first 
day,  and  judged  it  prudent  not  to  attack  the  enemy. 

3.  But  the  next  day,  Varro,  without  asking  advice  of  his  col- 
league, gave  the  signal  for  battle,  and  crossing  a  branch  of  the  river 
/Vufidus,  that  ran  between  the  two  armies,  ])ut  his  forces  in  array. 
The  battle  began  with  the  light-armed  infantry,  the  horse  engaged 
.ie>  t,  but  being  unable  to  stand  against  Hunnibal's  Numidian  cavalry, 
the  legions  came  up  to  support  them. 

4.  The  action  now  became  general.  The  Romans  attempted  in 
vain  to  break  the  centre  of  .their  enemy's  line,  where  the  Gauls  and 
Spaniards  were  stationed.  Hannibal,  observing  this,  ordered  part  of 
those  troops  to  give  way,  and  allow  the  Romans  to  advance  till  tliey 
were  surrounded. 

5.  A  chosen  body  of  Africans  then  fell  upon  their  flanks,  and  as 
ihcy  could  make  no  effectual  resistance,  they  were  cut  down,  in  the 
language  of  the  old  historian,  *'like  ripe  corn  before  the  reaper." 

LXI.  —  I.  How  were  the  two  armies  .siiualed  at  the  battle  of  Caniiie?    2.  How  were 
tha  Romur.s  commanded  1    3.  How  did  the  battle  of  Cau.ia  bejjin '?    4,  5.  6.  Describe 


84 


BATTLE  OF  THE  METAURUS. 


Varro  made  a  desperate  effort  to  remedy  his  fatal  error ;  huf  *h« 
Africans,  who  were  fresh  and  vigorous,  easily  maintaiiied  theii 
advantage  over  his  wearied  soldiers. 

6.  At  lenc^th  the  rout  became  general  throughout  the  Homan 
ranks,  llie  boastings  of  Varro  were  no  longer  heard,  ^milirs  fell 
bravely  fighting,  and  his  colleague  escaped  to  Venusia  with  only 
seventy  horse. 

7.  This  was  the  greatest  defeat  that  the  Romans  ever  sustained : 
fifty  thousand  men  were  killed  on  their  side,  and  among  these  were 
so  many  knights,  that  it  is  said  Hannibal  sent  to  Carthage,  as  tropliies, 
three  busiiels  of  gold  rings,  taken  from  their  fingers. 

8.  When  the  tidings  of  this  terrible  disaster  reached  Rome,  llie 
inhabitants  were  overwhelmed  with  consternation  ;  but  the  senate,  as 
usual,  remained  unshaken.  By  the  advice  of  Fabius,  measures  were 
taken  for  preserving  tranquillity  in  the  city.  A  general  mourning 
of  thirty  days  was  appointed,  and  all  public  and  private  religious  rites 
were  suspended. 

9.  Fabius  Pictor,  who  wrote  the  earliest  Roman  history,  was  sent 
to  consult  the  oracle  t»f  Delphi.     Recourse  was  also  had  to  the  Sybil 
line  books,  and  by  their  directions  two  Greeks,  a  man  and  a  woman, 
were  buried  alive  in  the  ox-market.    Such  was  the  influence  of  super- 
stition in  this  alarming  conjuncture. 

10.  Marcus  Junius  was  appointed  dictator.  All  the  citizens  of  age 
to  bear  arms  were  enrolled,  and  many  of  the  slaves  volunteered  tlnnr 
services.  The  weapons  and  arms  taken  in  former  wars,  which  were 
hung  up  as  trophies  in  the  temples  and  porticoes,  were  now  taken 
down  and  put  to  active  use. 

11.  Hannibal  has  been  censured  by  military  critics  for  not  march 
ing  to  Rome  immediately  after  the  battle  of  Cannaj ;  but  his  army 
was  by  no  means  adequate  to  the  siege  of  the  city,  and  the  allies  of 
the  Romans  would  have  been  able  to  cut  off  his  supplies. 


CHAPTER   LXH. 

Battle  of  the  Met  aunts, 

1.  Hannibal,  desiring  to  repose  and  recruit  his  army,  after  the 
fatigues  of  the  campaign,  led  them  into  winter  quarters  at  Capua. 
This  city  had  long  been  regarded  as  the  abode  of  luxury,  and  the 
corruption  of  all  military  virtue.  A  new  scene  of  pleasure  now 
operied  to  his  barbarian  troops,  and  they  at  once  gave  themselves  up 
to  rioting  and  debauchery.  Thus  the  hardy  veterans  became  ener- 
vated, and  when  called  again  into  the  field,  were  no  longer  equal  to 
the  fatiguen  of  war. 

Ihe  bailie.     7.  What  was  ihe  result?    What  trophy  did  Hannibal  se-^d  toCartha^ze; 
5.  What  was  done  ai  Rome?    9.  Who  was  sent  to  Delphi  ?     What  ceremonies  were  per 
formed  at  Rome?     10.  Who  waa  appohited  dictator?     What  preiwralions  were  made 
for  defence?     11.  What  is  said  of  Hannibal's  conduct? 
LXJI.  —  1.  What  happene«l  to  the  Carihaginianrf  at  Capua?    2.  What  were  (he  nez* 


CAPitIRE  OF  SYRACUSE. 


85 


2  Hannibav's  first  loss  was  at  the  siege  of  Ntla,  where  the 
Romans  made  a  successful  sally.  He  next  attempted  to  raise  the 
siege  of  Capua,  and  attacked  the  Romans  in  their  trenches,  but  was 
repulsed  with  considerable  loss.  He  then  marched  toward  Rome, 
but  finding  a  superior  army  ready  to  receive  him,  he  was  compelled 
to  retire 

3.  For  dome  years  he  continued  to  carry  on  the  war  without  gain- 
ing any  important  success.  The  senate  of  Carthage  came  at  length 
to  a  resolution  of  sending  his  brother  Hasdrubal  to  his  assistance, 
with  a  body  of  forces  drawn  from  Spain. 

4.  Hasdrubal's  march  being  known  to  the  Romans,  the  consuls 
Livius  and  Nero  marched  against  him.  A  great  battle  was  fought 
on  the  Metaurus,  a  river  of  Italy,  flowing  into  the  Adriatic,  B.  C. 
207.  The  Roman  army  consisted  of  forty-five  thousand  men ;  that 
of  Hasdrubal  exceeded  sixty  thousand. 

5.  Victory,  as  at  the  battle  of  Cannae,  declared  for  the  weaker  side  ; 
and  Hasdrubal,  who  had  performed  all  the  duties  of  an  able  general, 
seeing  that  the  day  was  lost,  spurred  his  horse  into  the  midst  of  the 
enemy,  and  fell  covered  with  wounds.  Fifty-six  thousand  of  the 
(^artha^inians  were  killed. 

0.  Hannibal  had  long  expected  his  brother's  army  with  impatience, 
and  on  the  very  night  w^hen  he  had  been  assured  of  his  arrival,  Nero, 
with  his  victorious  army,  reached  Hannibal's  camp,  and  ordered  the 
head  of  Hasdrubal  to  be  thrown  into  it  over  the  ram-part. 

7.  The  Carthaginian  general,  struck  with  the  sight,  exclaimed, 
**/  sec  the  doom  of  Carthage.''^  He  then  retreated  to  tiie  south  of 
Italy,  being  resolved  to  act  oidy  on  the  defensive.  Soon  after  this, 
the  Romans  alarmed  the  Carthaginians  with  the  prospect  of  a  war  in 
Africa,  by  entering  into  an  alliance  with  Masinissa,  king  of  Numidia. 


CHAPTER   LXIH. 


Capture  of  Syracuse.  —  Scipio's  Wars  in  Spain. 

1.  While  the  war  was  going  on  in  Italy,  the  Romans,  under  the 
command  of  Marcellus,  were  besieging  Syracuse,  in  Sicily.  The 
city  was  defended  by  the  ingenuity  of  the  fiunous  mathematician, 
Archimedes,  who  invented  machines  that  destroyed  the  Roman  ships, 
and  for  a  long  time  baffled  all  their  attempts  to  capture  the  place. 

2.  Treachery,  however,  enabled  the  besiegers  to  gain  possession 
of  many  of  the  important  outworks  of  the  city,  and  at  length  the 
inhabitants  surrendered  at  discretion.  Syracuse  was  pillaged  by  the 
Roman  soldiery,  and  great  numbers  of  the  people  were  put  to  the 
sword. 

3.  During  the  pillaging,  a  soldier  entered  the  room  where  Archi- 


movenients  of  Hannit)al  ?    3.  What  was  done  by  ihe  senate  of  Carihacre  .-    4,  5.  Describe 
the  bai lie  o*" the  Metaurus.     G.  What  was  done  <vith  the  head  of  Hasdrubal?    7.  What 
^ert"  I  he  ncxt  steps  taken  by  Hannibal? 
LXIH.  —  1    W  lo  U  sieeed  Syracuse  ?    Who  defended  it  ?    2  How  was  the  city  tak«ri  '• 

8 


&6 


SCIPIO'S  WARS  IN  SPAIN. 


:^ 


3 


medes  was  deeply  engaged  in  a  mathematical  problem,  and  iioi  know 
ing  who  he  was,  killed  him.     This  catastrophe  caused  much  grief  t< 
Marcellus,  who  admired  his  genius,  although  it  had  been  exercised 
against  himself. 

4.  A  love  for  science  had  already  begun  to  prevail  at  Rome,  and 
many  of  the  most  eminent  citizens  of  the  republic  were  proud  o^  being 
the  patrons  of  art  and  literature.  Marcellus  ordered  Archimedes  to 
be  honorably  buried,  and  a  tomb  to  be  erected  to  his  memory.  The 
numerous  paintings,  statues,  and  other  works  of  art,  found  in  Syra- 
cuse, were  sent  to  Rome  to  adorn  that  capital. 

5.  The  Romans  were  not  equally  fortunate  in  S^iain,  where  two 
of  thtir  arniies  were  defeated  and  cut  to  pieces  by  the  Carthaginians 
At  length  Scipio,  afterwards  called  Africanus,  was  sent  to  that  coun- 
try, where  his  father  had  been  killed  at  the  head  of  his  army. 

6.  Although  only  twenty-four  years  old,  Scipio,  in  the  course  of 
five  years,  restored  the  Roman  supremacy  in  Spain,  and  on  his  return 
to  Rome  was  made  consul.     He  now  formed  a  plan  to  carry  the  wai 
into  Africa,  and  make  the  Carthaginians  tremble  for  their  own  cap 
ital. 


BATTLE  OF  ZAIMA. 


Triumphal  Entrance  of  Scipio  Afncanus  into  Rome. 


/  He  landed  with  an  army  in  that  country,  B.  C.  202,  nnd  defealfd 
d  l>o(  y  ol  ISumidians,  putting  forty  thousand  of  them  to  the  sword. 
He  then  laid  siege  to  Utica.  The  Carthaginians  raised  a  larrre  army 
to  relieve  a  place  of  so  much  importance,  but  they  were  routed  with 
^reat  slaughter,  and  pursued  to  their  very  walls. 

8.  This  victory  exposed  Carthage  itself  to  the  perils  of  :i  siecre. 
1  unis  almost  within  sight  of  the  city,  opened  its  gates  to  the  Romans, 
and  the  Carthaginian  senate,  driven  to  extremities,  recalled  Harmibal 
rrom  Italy,  to  the  defence  of  his  own  country. 


3    VVImt  of  iheiieaih  of  Arrnniedes?    4.  Wimi  was  ihe  comluci  of  Marcellus  ?    b   What 
happe.u..i  ui  Spam?    6.  What  plau  wu.  formed  by  Scipio  Africunu.?     7.  WhatwcS 
u  nrst  successes  in  Africa  ?    n.   What  wa^  done  by  ^he  Carihaginian«  ^ 


8? 


i/,;;t-^'^tLcHAPTER  ]lXYv2 

Battle  of  Zama, — E?id  of  the  Second  Pujiic  War, 


9 


c 


1.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  regret  and  mc  rtification  of  HannibaJ 
At  this  order ;  but  he  obeyed  with  the  promptness  and  submission  of 
the  meanest  soldier.  He  took  leave  of  Italy  with  the  deepest  grief, 
after  having  held  dominion  over  the  finest  parts  of  that  country  for 
fifteen  years.  On  his  arrival  at  Leptis,  in  Africa,  he  began  his  march 
hx  Adrumetum,  where  numerous  volunteers  awaited  him. 

2.  Urged  by  the  pressing  requests  of  the  citizens  of  Carthage,  he 
low  advanced  to  Zama,  a  town  about  five  days'  march  to  the  west  of 
that  city.  Here  he  sent  three  spies  to  explore  the  Roman  camp. 
These  were  taken,  and  carried  before  Scipio,  who  ordered  them  to  be 
led  through  every  part  of  the  camp,  and  then  dismissed  in  safety. 

3.  Hannibal,  struck  by  this  conduct,  which  evinced,  on  the  part  of 
the  Roman  general,  such  confidence  in  his  own  strength,  proposed  a 
personal  interview,  in  hopes  to  obtain  favoral)le  terms  of  peace  from 
nim.     The  two  generals  met  on  the  following  day. 

4.  Hannibal  began  the  conference  by  expressing  his  wish  that  the 
one  people  had  never  gone  out  of  Africa,  or  the  other  out  of  Italy, 
their  natural  dominions.  He  reminded  Scipio  of  the  instability  of  for- 
tune, referring  to  himself  as  a  notable  instance.  And  he  concluded 
by  oflxjring,  on  the  part  of  Carthage,  to  cede  Spain,  Sicily,  Sardinia, 
and  all  the  other  islands,  to  the  Romans. 

5.  Scipio  replied  that  victory  or  unconditional  submission  alone 
remained  for  Carthage.  The  conference  thus  terminated,  and  each 
general  retired  to  prepare  for  the  conflict. 

6.  Never  was  a  more  important  battle  fought,  whether  we  regard 
the  generals,  the  armies,  the  two  contending  powers,  or  the  empire 
that  was  at  stake.  Hannibal  had  the  advantage  in  numbers,  but 
they  were  mostly  raw  levies ;  only  a  portion  had  served  in  Italy,  and 
could  vie  in  steadiness  and  discipline  with  the  troops  of  Scipio. 

7.  The  battle  began  with  the  elephants  on  the  side  of  the  Cartha- 
ginians. These,  at  the  first  onset,  were  terrified  by  the  shouts  of  the 
Romans,  and  wounded  by  their  slingers  and  archers.  They  quickly 
turned  on  their  drivers,  and  made  confusion  in  their  own  ranks,  par- 
ticularly among  the  cavalry. 

8.  This  advantage  was  followed  up  by  the  Romans,  and  viie  whole 
Carthaginian  army  was  soon  put  to  the  rout.  Twenty  thousand  were 
killed,  and  as  many  taken  prisoners.  The  Romans  lost  only  two 
thousand.  Ha mibal,  who  had  done  all  that  a  great  general  could  do 
to  gain  the  victory,  fled  with  a  few  horsemen  to  Adruinetum,  fortune 
seeming  to  delight  in  confounding  his  ability,  his  valor,  and  hi? 
experience. 

9.  Fnmi  ttiis  place  he  was  summoned  by  the  government  to  (>ai 

LXIV.  — 1.  Wli:ii  (if  Haimibal's  leaving  Italy?  2,3.  What  look  place  at  Zamaf 
I,  5.  \\  l\al  of  ilie  I'lmfereiice  of  Haiuiibal  and  Scipio?  6.  How  were  the  forces  'Hlaiicad 
at  the   battle  of  Zama?     7.  How  did   the   battle  begin?    8.  What   whs   the     ee'>lil 


85 


CONQUEST  OF  CiKEEuE  BY  THE  rCOMANS. 


ihsiijc,  and  he  returned  to  that  city  after  an  absence  of  thirty-tix 
years.     The  battle  of  Zama  had  destroyed  the  hist  liopes  of  Carthage 
and  by  HannibaFs  advice  a  peace  wjis  made.     The  vanquished  people 
submitted  to  whatever  conditions  their  conquerors  were  pleased  U 
impose. 

10.  The  Carthaginians  gave  up  all  their  territories  out  of  Africa, 
agreed  to  pay  ten  thousand  talents  in  fifty  years ;  to  give  up  all  their 
ships  and  elephants  except  ten  ;  to  restore  to  the  Numidian  king  all 
the  lands  which  they  had  taken  from  him,  and  not  to  make  war 
without  the  consent  of  the  Romans.  Thus,  after  a  duration  of  seven- 
teen years  enHed  the  Second  Punic  War  B.  O.  201. 


^,  CHAPTER  |LXV. 

Conquest  of  Greece  by  the  Romam, 


Philip  of  Macedon. 

I.  Rome   had  now  become  a  great  military  republic,  supreme  in 
estern  Europe,  and  commanding  a  preponderating  influence  in  the 

y    What  followed  at  Carthage?    10.  What  were  the  terms  of  })eace  at  the  cIoi>e  vf  ll»« 
Second  Punic  War. 


CONQUEST  OF  GREECE  BY  THE  ROAIaNS. 


89 


east,  whi5re  the  kingdoms  formed  from  the  fragments  of  Alexander'* 
empire  had  sunk  into  weakness  from  the  exhaustion  of  mutual  wars. 

2.  The  Athenians,  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  Philip,  king  of  Mace- 
don, sought  the  protection  of  the  Romans,  which  was  readily  granted, 
as  the  senate  had  long  been  anxious  to  find  a  pretext  for  med^dling  in 
the  affairs  of  Greece. 

3.  War  was  declared  against  Philip,  notvdthstanding  the  opposi- 
tion of  the  tribunes  of  the  people ;  and  it  was  resolved  to  follow  up 
Scipio's  policy,  by  making  the  enemy's  country  the  theatre  of  hos 
tilities. 

4.  An  army  was  sent  into  Macedonia,  under  Quintus  Flaminius, 
and  a  decisive  battle  was  fought  at  Cynoscephalae,  in  Thessaly,  B.  C. 
197.  The  Macedonians  were  irretrievably  overthrown,  and  forced  to 
submit  to  such  terms  of  peace  as  the  conquerors  chose  to  dictate. 

5.  At  the  Isthmian  games,  which  took  place  shortly  afterward, 
the  Roman  commander  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  freedom 
of  those  states  of  Greece  which  had  been  under  the  Macedonian 
dominion. 

6.  This,  however,  was  notiiing  more  than  an  empty  rhetorical 
flourish,  the  crafty  Romans  being  well  aware  that  the  most  certain 
way  to  establish  their  own  supremacy  was  to  amuse  the  Greeks  with 
high-sounding  professions.  In  fact,  these  people  virtually  became 
slaves  to  the  Romans,  through  gratitude  for  freedom. 

7.  Antiochus,  king  of  Syria,  next  became  involved  in  a  war  with 
the  Romans.  Hannibal  was  believed  to  have  contributed  by  his 
intrigues  to  this  event,  which  is  not  unlikely.  That  great  general, 
however,  found  that  the  vain-glorious  Syrian  king  was  unable  tc 
comprehend  his  prudent  plans  for  carrying  on  the  war,  and  moreover 
had  the  mortification  to  find  himself  suspected  of  being  secretly  ir 
league  with  the  Romans. 

8.  Antiochus,  after  much  ill  success,  attempted  to  obtain  a  peace 
by  oflfering  to  give  up  all  his  territories  in  Europe,  and  all  those  ir; 
Asia  which  preferred  the  alliance  of  Rome.  But  it  was  now  toe 
late. 

9.  The  two  Scipios,  who  commanded  the  Roman  armies,  forced 
him  to  a  battle  at  Magnesia,  near  Ephesus,  where  he  was  totally 
defeated.  He  was  compelled  to  purchase  a  peace  by  abandoning  all 
his  European  possessions,  and  those  in  Asia  north  of  Mount  Taurus, 
pa3'ing  an  indemnity  of  fifteen  thousand  Eubaean  talents,  nearly  fifteen 
million  dollars,  and  promising  to  give  up  Hannibal,  who  was  then 
at  his  court. 


I'^'-  —  1.  What  was  now  the  condition  of  Rome?  2.  How  did  the  Romans  become 
Involved  in  the  affairs  of  Greece  ?  3.  What  waa  the  poi icy  of  the  war  with  Philip'. 
I  What  of  the  battle  of  Cyiioscephalne  ?  5,  6.  What  hapf  ^ned  at  the  Isthmian  gantett) 
7    Wha:  of  Antiochus  ?    8.  What  success  had  he?    9.  Hr  •    did  he  obtain  a  peace! 

8#  *^ 


00 


DEATH  OF  HANNIBAL. 


CATO  THE  CENSOR. 


9: 


^ 


CHAPTER   LXVT. 

Death  of  HaimibaL 


1.  H   •JNiBAL,   finding  the   vindictive  Romans    resolved  on    hi 
iestruction,  left  the  dominions  of  Antiochus  by  st£;alth,  and  aftei 
wanderii  g  for  some  time  from  one  petty  state  to  another,  took  refuse 
with   Prusias,  king  of  Bithynia.     But  the  Romans  felt  no   safety 
while  the  great  Carthaginian  leader  was  alive. 

8.  With  a  mean  and  revengeful  spirit  utterly  unworthy  of  a  great 
nation,  they  sent  one  of  their  generals  to  demand  him  of  this  king. 
Prusias,  fearing  their  resentment,  and  expecting  to  conciliate  thcii 
friendship  by  this  breach  of  hospitality,  ordered  a  guard  to  be  placed 
upon  Hannibal,  with  an  intent  to  deliver  him  up. 

3.  The  unfortunate  old  general,  thus  implacably  persecuted  from 
one  country  to  another,  and  finding  all  means  of  escape  cut  off,  deter- 
mined to  die.  He,  therefore,  swallowed  the  poison  which  he  had  long 
carried  with  him  for  this  purpose,  and  reproaching  the  Romans  for 
their  degeneracy,  and  Prusias  for  betraying  his  guest,  expired  B.  C. 
183. 

4.  It  is  said  that  Scipio  Africanus,  his  conqueror,  died  the  same 
year,  an  instance  also  of  the  mutability  of  fortune,  for  this  great  gen- 
eral breathed  his  last  in  exile !  The  actions  of  these  two  eminent 
men  sufliciently  declare  their  characters. 

5.  As  a  general,  Hannibal  is  almost  without  an  equal.  Not  a 
single  military  error  can  be  charged  upon  him ;  and  the  skill  and 
address  with  which  he  managed  to  keep  an  army,  composed  of  the 
most  discordant  elements  constantly  in  obedience,  is  truly  aston- 
ishing. 

6.  The  charges  of  perfidy  and  cruelty,  made  against  him  by  the 
Roman  writers,  are  utterly  groundless,  and  contradicted  by  facts. 
Nowhere  does  Hannibal's  character  appear  so  great  as  when,  after 
the  defeat  of  Zama,  he,  with  unbroken  spirit,  applied  the  powers  of 
his  mighty  mind  to  the  reform  of  political  abuses,  and  the  restoration 
of  the  finances,  in  the  hope  of  once  more  raising  his  country  to  inde- 
pendence.    Here  he  showed  himself  a  true  patriot. 

7.  A  second  Macedonian  war  was  soon  after  proclaimed  against 
Perseus,  the  successor  of  Philip.  This  prince,  in  order  to  secure  th(^ 
crown,  had  murdered  his  brother  Demetrius,  and  on  the  death  of  his 
father  he  succeeded  to  his  power. 

8  At  first  he  obtained  several  important  successes  ovei  the 
Romans,  but  when  Paulus  ^Emilius  took  the  command  against  him, 
his  affiiirs  began  to  decline.  At  length  a  decisive  battle  was  fought 
at  Pydna,  B.  C.  167,  and  the  Romans  were  completely  victorious. 

LX'f'^.  —  I.  Where  did  HanniDal  take  refuge?  2.  How  did  the  Romans  perset:ni« 
him  ?  3.  What  was  \\\s  end  ?  4.  What  of  the  death  of  Scipio  Africanus  ?  fi.  6.  Whal 
is  the  character  of  Hannibal  ?  7,  What  of  the  second  IVIacedonian  war  ?  8  Whal  euc 
ceas  had  Perseus?  9.  What  became  of  him?  What  were  ihe  consequences  cf  his 
Jefe«t  1 


9.  Pe  .-sens  xttempted  to  save  himself  by  escaping  into  (Jrete,  bu 
doing  a.mndoned  by  every  one,  he  was  obliged  to  surrender  to  his 
enemy,  who  carried  him  to  Rome,  and  led  him  captive  at  his  triumph 
By  this  victory,  Macedonia,  Epirus  and  Illyricum,  were  reduced  to 
the  concUtion  of  Roman  provinces,  and  it  became  evident  that  the 
independence  of  the  remaining  Grecian  states  would  not  long  be 

CHAPTER   LXVH. 

Cato  the  Censor,  j   Q 

1.  After  the  close  of  the  Second  Punic  War,  the  Carthaginiana 
leemed  disposed  to  remain  at  peace ;  but  the  ambition  of  their  neigh- 
bor Massinissa,  king  of  Numidia,  whose  life,  to  their  misfortune,  waa 
extended  to  beyond  ninety  years,  would  not  allow  them  to  rest. 
This  monarch  was  continually  encroaching  on  the  Cartliaginian  terri- 
tory, and  seizing  their  towns. 

2.  The  Roman  senate,  when  appealed  to  as  umpire,  sent  out  com- 
missioners, who  almost  invariably  decided  in  favor  of  Massinissa. 
On  one  of  these  occasions,  M.  Porcius  Cato,  who  is  commonly  known 
as  Cato  the  Elder,  acted  as  a  commissioner. 

3.  When  he  saw  the  fertility  of  the  Carthaginian  territory,  its  high 
state  of  culture,  and  the  strength,  wealth  and  population  of  the  city, 
he  became  apprehensive  that  it  might  yet  endanger  the  supremacy  of 
Rome. 

4.  His  vanity,  also,  of  which  this  morose  old  moralist  had  a  larj^e 
share,  was  wounded  because  the  Carthaginians,  who  were  manifestly 
in  the  right,  did  not  at  once  acijuiesce  in  the  decision  pronounced  by 
him  and  his  colleagues ;  and  he  returned  to  Rome  full  of  bitterness 
against  them. 

5.  From  this  time  he  made  a  practice  of  concluding  all  his  speeches 
'".  the  senate  with  these  words,  ^^Deknda  est  Carthago,^^  "  f^ar- 
iKige  must  be  destroyed."  Qne  day  he  carried  to  the  senate-house 
a  number  of  fresh  African  figs,  and  shook  them  out  of  his  cloak  while 
the  general  attention  was  directed  towards  him.  The  senators 
idmiring  the  fruit,  he  exclaimed,  "  The  country  that  produces  these, 
8  but  three  days'  sail  from  Rome !" 

6.  By  such  artful  tricks,  he  kept  alive  among  the  Romans  the 
memory  of  the  Punic  wars,  and  the  danger  of  Rome.  At  length  the 
senate  resolved  to  lay  hold  of  the  first  plausible  pretext  for  declaring 
war  against  their  ancient  enemy. 

7.  At  first  the  Carthaginians  attempted  to  disarm  their  vindictive 
persecutors  by  submission.  They  banished  all  their  citizens  wiio  had 
incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Romans,  and  surrendered  their  arms 

LXVH. —  I.  What  new  enemy  annoyed  the  Carthaginians?    2.  How  were  the  dis- 

Eutes  with  Massinissa  decided?  3.  What  of  Cato  the  Elder  at  Carthage?  4.  How  was 
is  enmity  excited  against  the  Carthaginians?  5.  How  did  he  display  his  enmity* 
6.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this?  7.  How  did  the  Carthaginians  attecipt  toappeadi 
'.he  K.Dmans ?    8.  Wiiat  di I  the  Roman  senate  determine? 


92 


*IEGE  OF  CARTHAGE. 


and  miliUvy  sto/:3.  Two  hundred  thousand  suits  of  armor,  and 
weapons  in  proportion,  were  brought  in  warjons  to  the  Roman  camp. 
8.  The  consul  Censorinus,  having  praised  their  dihgen'^e  and  reaily 
obedience,  then  proceeded  to  inform  them  of  the  will  of  ihe  senate. 
This  was  that  they  should  abandon  Carthage,  which  the  Romans 
intended  to  level  with  the  earth,  and  build  another  town  not  nearer  to 
the  sea  than  ten  miles. 


( 


CHAPTER  jLXyil] 
Third  Punic  War. 


1.  When  this  cruel  command  was  announced,  the  unhappy  Car- 
thaginians abandoned  themselves  to  every  extravagance  of  grief  and 
despair.  They  rolled  themselves  in  the  dust,  tore  their  garments, 
beat  their  breasts,  called  upon  the  gods,  and  reproached  the  Romaiiji 
for  their  treachery  and  cruelty.  Vv^hen  they  recovered  from  these 
paroxysms,  they  took  courage  from  despair,  and  set  their  insulting 
foes  at  defiancj.     Then  began  the  Third  Punic  War,  B.  C.  149. 

2.  They  piepared  vigorously  for  the  defence  of  their  city,  resolving 
to  endure  every  extremity  rather  than  abandon  it.  The  two  Has- 
dnjbals  were  appointed  generals.  The  temples  and  other  sacn-d 
places  were  turned  into  workshops.  Men  and  women  labored  day 
and  night  in  the  manufacture  of  arms,  and  the  females  cut  oft'  their 
long  hair  that  it  might  be  twisted  into  bow-strings. 

3.  From  this  unexpected  display  of  courage  and  patriotism,  the 
Romans  found  Carthage  a  more  difficult  conquest  than  they  had 
anticipated,  and  during  the  first  and  second  years  of  the  war,  they 
suffered  many  reverses.  But  in  the  third  year  they  intrusted  the 
command  of  their  armies  to  Scipio  A^milianus. 

4.  He  formed  a  camp  within  a  dart's  cast  of  the  wall  of  the  city, 
which  extended  quite  across  the  isthmus  on  which  Carthage  was 
built  By  this  means,  he  cut  the  besieged  off'  tVom  the  land,  and 
their  only  chance  of  obtaining  supplies  was  by  sea.  But  Scipio 
deteimined  to  deprive  them  of  this  resource  also,  by  stopping  up  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor. 

5.  He  began  to  construct  a  huge  mole  from  shore  to  shore,  with 
large  stones.  The  Carthaginians  at  first  mocked  at  the  eflforts  of 
their  enemies,  but  when  they  saw  how  rapidly  the  work  advanced, 
the}'  became  alarmed,  and  instantly  set  about  digging  another  passage 
out  of  the  port. 

6.  They  labored  so  constantly  and  secretly,  that  the  Romans  were 
frustrated  in  their  attempt,  and  the  besieged,  having  built  new  ships 
out  of  their  old  materials,  sent  a  fleet  of  fifty  vessels  to  sea  by  the 
new  channel.     Had  they  taken  advantage  of  the  surprise  and  con- 

LXVni.  —  1 .  How  were  the  Carthagfiruans  afTecied  by  the  orders  from  Rome  ?  2.  H<»vv 
did  tltcy  prepare  for  defenc^e?  3.  How  was  the  war  carried  on?  4.  How  did  Scipio 
fmilianud  l)egin  his  operations  1  5,  6,  7.  How  was  the  port  of  Carthage  l)e8ioge«l  aj\d 
defended  ? 


CAPTURE  OF  CARTHAGK 


93 


cmatioo  of  the  Romans,  who  were  utterly  unprc^pared  for  the  sud 
^n  turn  ot  affairs,  they  might  have  attacked  and  destroyed  thei** 
fleet. 

7.  But  they  only  made  a  bravado,  and  then  returned  to  port.  The 
third  day  after  this,  the  fleets  engaged.  The  Carthaginian  small 
vessels  annoyed  the  Romans  exceedingly,  but  in  returning  to  port 
Ihey  created  much  confusion  on  their  own  side,  of  which  the  Romans 
look  great  advantage.  The  next  morning  Scipio  attacked  the  quay 
where  the  Carthaginian  vessels  lay.  After  a  desperate  struggle,  the 
Romans  at  length  eflTected  a  permanent  lodgment  on  the  place 


CHAPTER\LXIX. 


n 


Capture  of  Carthage. 


1.  On  the  opening  of  the  spring  the  besiegers  made  a  vigorous  at- 
tack on  the  inner  harbor.  The  Carthaginians  set  fire  during  the  night 
previous  to  the  buildings  on  one  side,  expecting  the  assault  in  that 
quarter.  But  a  strong  party  of  the  Romans  secretly  approached  on 
the  opposite  side,  and  made  themselves  masters  of  the  place,  while 
the  attention  of  the  defenders  was  directed  to  a  different  point. 

2.  Scipio  then  advanced  to  the  great  market,  where  he  kept  his 
men  under  arms  during  the  night,  and  the  next  morning  proceeded  to 
attack  the  citadel,  to  which  most  of  the  inhabitants  had  now  fled  for 
refuge.  Three  streets,  filled  with  houses  six  stories  high,  led  to  the 
citadel  from  the  market. 

3.  The  Romans,  as  they  attempted  to  penetrate  them,  finding 
themselves  assailed  from  the  roofs,  burst  into  the  houses,  and  pur- 
sued the  Carthaginians  from  roof  to  roof,  killing  and  throwing  thenr. 
down  from  the  battlements.  Others,  in  the  mean  time,  forced  their 
way  along  the  streets.  Weapons  flew  in  all  directions  ;  the  groans 
t  f  the  wounded  and  dying,  the  shrieks  of  women  and  children,  and 
the  shouts  of  the  victors,  filled  the  air.  At  length  the  assailants  ar- 
rived in  front  of  the  citadel,  and  Scipio  gave  orders  to  set  the  city  on 
."ire  behind  them. 

4.  A  dreadful  scene  of  horror  and  devastation  ensued.  Carthajje 
was  wrapped  in  flames,  and  its  wretched  inhabitants,  between  fire 
aFid  the  enemy,  were  devoted  to  destruction.  Old  men,  women,  and 
children,  driven  by  the  devouring  element  from  their  dwellings  and 
iiiding-places,  perished  by  thousands,  and  every  fonn  of  appalling 
misery  now  shocked  the  eye. 

5.  For  six  days  the  flames  raged  uncontrolled.  On  the  seventh, 
the  Cartliaginians  in  the  citadel  offered  to  surrender  on  condition  of 
♦Jieir  lives  being  spared.  This  being  granted  to  all  except  deserters, 
they  came  out  to  the   number  of  fifty  thousand.     The  deserters, 


LXIX.  —  1.  How  was  the  inner  harbor  taken  ?  2,  3.  How  did  the  Romans  reach  th* 
citadel  ?  4.  What  terrible  spectacle  was  here  presented?  5.  How  waf«  the  oiia<Jel  -nr 
lAndered?    6    What  of  Hasdrulml  » 


94 


t  !D  OF  THE  THIRD  PUNIC  WAR. 


amoiiriling  to  nine  hundred,  retiied  with  llasdrubal  to  the  temple  cl 
Esculapius. 

6.  This  being  situated  on  a  lofty  precipitous  site,  they  were  ena 
bled  to  defend   till  they  were  overcome  with  fatigue  and   hunger. 
Hasdrubal  stole  away  from  them,  and  gave  himsell"  up  to  Scipio 
The  Roman  general  made  him  sit  at  his  feet  in  their  sight,  on  wliic'n 
the  Carthaginians  reviled  him  as  a  coward  and  a  traitor,  and  then 
setting  fire  to  the  temple,  all  perished  in  the  flameo 


!' 


CHAPTER  'UlC 
End  of  the  Third  Punic  War. 


MS' 


J.  While  this  dreadful  scene  was  performing,  it  is  said  that  the 
wife  of  Hasdrubal,  who  with  her  two  children  had  been  left  by  him 
in  the  temple,  advanced  in  front  of  Scipio  and  cried  out,  "  O,  Roman, 
thou  hast  warred  against  an  enemy,  and  hast  no  vengeance  to  fear 
from  the  gods;  but  may  the  deities  of  Carthage,  and  thou  likewise, 
punish  Hasdrubal,  that  traitor  to  me,  his  children,  his  country,  an(l 
her  temples." 

2.  Then  addressing  her  husband,  she  said,  "  O,  wretched,  faith- 
less, and  most  cowardly  of  men  !  these  flames  will  consume  me  and 
my  children,  but  what  a  triumph  wilt  thou  adorn  I  thou,  the  general 
of  mighty  Carthage !  and  what  punishment  wilt  thou  not  undergo 
from  him  before  whom  thou  art  sitting!"  So  saying,  she  cut  the 
throats  of  her  children,  and  cast  them  and  herself  into  the  flames. 

3.  Scipio,  surveying  the  ruin  of  this  mighty  city,  which  had  stood 
for  seven  hundred  years,  had  abounded  in  wealth,  had  spread  her 
commerce  far  and  wide,  had  conquered  many  powerful  nations,  and 
made  Rome  tremble  for  her  existence  —  could  not  refrain  from  tears. 
In  his  commiseration  for  the  melancholy  fate  of  his  country's  rival, 
he  repeated  these  lines  of  Homer : 

Yet,  come  it  will  ;  the  day  decreed  by  fates  — 
How  my  heart  trembles  wliile  my  tongue  relate s  ' 
The  day  when  thou,  imperial  Troy,  uuist  bend, 
And  see  thy  warriors  fall,  thy  glories  end ! 

4.  Pol>bius,  the  historian,  wno  was  present,  interrogated  ni::i  a* 
to  his  meaning.  He  replied  that  his  thoughts  were  fixed  on  his  o\\  n 
country,  which,  he  foresaw,  must  also  submit  to  the  vicissitude  that 
attends  all  human  things. 

5.  Scipio  allowed  his  soldiers  to  plunder  the  city  while  it  was 
burning.  He  despatched  his  swiftest  ship  to  Rome,  with  the  account 
of  his  achievement.  The  most  unbounded  joy  prevailed  among  the 
unfeeUng  Romans,  on  learning  that  Carthage  was  no  more.  Ten 
commissioners  were  sent  out  to  join  with  Scipio  in  regulating  the 
afl[airs  of  Africa.     Carthage  was  destroyed  B.  C.  146. 


tXX  —  1,  2,  What  of  the  wife  of  Hasdrul^-xl  ?    3.  What  of  Scipio  on  seeing  the  ruiim 
Jf  Garihage'/    4.  WhU  of  IVIybius?     5.  6.   How  did  the  Romaics  l«e  lave  loward*  i\m 


TIBERIUS  GRACCHUS. 


6.  The  very  ruins  of  the  city  were  leveled  with  the  earth,  and 
heavy  curses  were  pronounced  on  any  one  who  should  attempt  to  re- 
build it.  All  the  towTis  which  had  adhered  faithfully  to  Carthago 
were  treated  in  the  same  manner.  Those  which  had  joined  Rome, 
particularly  TJtica,  were  rewarded  with  an  increase  of  territory. 
Africa  was  reduced  to  a  province,  a  land  and  poll  tax  was  laid  upon 
the  people,  and  a  propraetor  was  sent  from  Rome  every  year  to  gov- 
ern it. 

7.  During  the  Third  Punic  War  the  disturbances  excited  in  Mace- 
donia by  an  impostor,  Andriscus,  who  pretended  to  be  the  son  of 
Philip,  kindled  a  new  war,  which  proved  fatal  to  the  liberties  of 
Greece.  The  Achaeans,  stimulated  by  some  factious  leaders,  toolj 
up  arras,  but  were  subdued  in  the  same  year  that  Carthage  waa 
destroyed. 

S.  Mummius,  the  Roman  consul,  after  having  plundered  the  city 
It  Corinth  of  its  statues,  pictures,  and  most  valuable  eflfects,  set  it  on 
fire,  and  reduced  it  to  a  heap  of  ruins.  Thebes  and  Chalcis  shared 
ihe  same  fate. 

9.  Mummius  was  so  ignorant  of  the  value  of  works  of  art,  that  on 
shipping  his  plunder  to  Italy,  he  bargained  with  the  shipmasters  that 
in  case  the  statues  and  paintings  were  lost,  they  should  furnish  other? 
as  ffood  in  their  stead  ! 


CHAPTER 


LXXI. 


Tiberius  Gracchus, 


i\^ 


1.  The  political  state  of  Rome  was  now  such  as  lo  be  highly  un 
favorable  to  the  preservation  of  the  liberty  of  the  citizens.     The  mass 
of  the  population,  who  had  the  power  of  bestowing  all  the  great  and 
lucrative  offices,  were  poor,  while  numbers  among  the  nobility  were 
immensely  rich. 

2.  Thus  an  oligarchy  and  a  democracy  were  combined  together  ir 
the  state,  and  it  was  evident  that  unless  this  condition  of  things  could 
be  speedily  changed,  there  must  be  an  end  of  the  republican  constitu- 
tion of  Rome.  The  brothers,  Tiberius  and  Caius  Gracchus,  who 
were  tribunes  of  the  people,  saw  clearly  the  condition  and  tendency 
of  things,  and  resolved  to  apply  a  timely  remedy  by  renewing  the 
Licinian  law  against  holding  large  tracts  of  land. 

3.  This  proposal  was  very  unwelcome  to  the  rich,  who  endeavored 
to  persuade  the  people  that  the  proposers  of  it  aimed  only  at  disturb- 
ing the  government,  and  throwing  all  things  into  confusion  But 
Tiberius  Gracchus,  who  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent  men  of  his 
time,  removed  these  impressions  from  the  minds  of  the  people,  and 
the  law  was  passed. 

conquere i  people ?    7.  What  happened  in  Macedonia?    8.  What  of  Corinth,  Thebe», 
flcc.  1    9.   What  story  is  Irld  of  the  ignorance  of  Mummius  ? 

LXXI,  _  1.  What  waavhe  slate  of  Rome  at  this  time?  2.  What  of  the  tw  t  Gracchi  1 
Si  How  were  the  rich  inclined  with  regard  to  the  Licinian  law?    4.  What  of  Attalut 


w 


CAIUS  GRACCHUS. 


END  OF  ROMAN  FREEDOM. 


97 


4.  The  death  of  Attalus,  kinjr  of  Pergamus,  afforded  him  a  n^^ 
opportunity  for  espousing  the  side  of  the  people  acrainst  the  arislor- 
racy.^   This  k'mcr  had  by  his  last  will  left  all  his  territories  to  Rome 
and  Uracchus  proposed  that  the  money  should  be  divided  among  the 
poor.     This  caused  greater  disturbance  than  ever,  B.  C.  132. 

5.  Gracchus,  haranguing  the  people  at  the  capilol,  was  interrupted 
and  threatened  by  the  retainers  of  the  nobles.  He  begged  in  vain 
to  be  heard,  and  at  length  raised  his  hand  to  his  head  to" signify  that 
his  life  was  in  danger.  His  opponent  immediately  raised  a  cry  that 
he  demanded  a  diadem,  and  this  caused  an  universal  uproar  in  tlm 
city. 

6.  A  large  body  of  the  senators,  attended  by  their  retainers,  armed 
with  clubs,  marched  to  the  capitol,  knocking  down  all  who  ventured 
to  oppose  them.  Tiberius,  perceiving  his  danger,  endeavored  to  flee  ; 
he  threw  away  his  toga  to  expedite  his  movements,  and  attempted  ^o 
ioTce  his  way  through  the  throng. 

^  7.  But  happening  to  stumble  over  a  person  who  lay  on  the  ground, 
batureius,  one  of  the  tribunes,  who  was  of  the  opposite  faction' 
strucik  him  dead  with  a  broken  piece  of  a  seat.  Three  hundred  of' 
his  partisans  shared  the  same  fate.  The  vengeance  of  the  senate 
did  not  stop  here  ;  many  of  the  friends  of  Gracclais  were  driven  into 
banishment  without  any  legal  process,  and  nothing  was  omitted  to  in- 
spire the  people  with  an  abhorrence  of  his  pretended  crimes. 

8.  Scipio  Nasica,  a  large  holder  of  the  public  lands,  was  the  ring- 
leader of  the  senatorial  faction  in  these  proceedings,  which,  for  the 
first  time  during  several  centuries,  caused  civil  bloodshed  in  Rome, 
bo  great  was  the  odium  which  subsequently  fell  upon  him  from  this 
cause,  that  the  senate,  to  screen  him  from  popular  resentment,  de- 
spatched him  to  Asia,  under  a  pretext  of  public  business,  but  in  reali- 
ty as  a  species  of  honorable  exile.  He  died  in  a  few  months,  the 
victim  of  mortification  and  remorse. 


/^ 


CHAPTER  TlXXIl} 

Caius  Gracchus, 


1.  W  HiLE  the  city  was  thus  disturbed  by  civil  tumults,  Sicily  wag 
exposed  to  the  horrors  of  a  servile  war.  The  slaves  in  this  island, 
exasperated  by  the  cruelties  of  their  masters,  rose  in  rebellion,  seizeo 
the  town  of  Enna,  and  appointed  one  Eunus  for  their  commander. 
1  his  person  gained  considerable  advantages  over  the  Romans,  took 
the  strong  city  of  Taurominium,  and  maintained  the  war  for  six 
years. 

iJ.  The  consul  Rupilius  led  an  army  against  him,  but  wa.s  obliged 
to  use  treachery  to  accomplish  his  purpose.     Kunus  was  betrayed  by 

uM^J-tL^^T  wl'     ^    What  of  Tiheri,,.  Gracchn.s  at  the  capiio!  ?     B    How  waa  l.« 

Ni^?ca?  ^h^^^^^^''«<^^«of«'-^cchusar.'  hisa-^...;..;.?    R  What  of  }?ipio 

LXXII.  — 1.  What  war  happened  in  S.^iy?     2    H.nv  wh.-.  ii  .|iielle<n     3.   What  of 


Mne  of  the  slaves  whom  the  consul  had  bribed  ;  his  followers  were 
slaughtered,  and  their  leader  died  in  prison. 

3.  Caius  Gracchus  was  but  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  his 
brother  was  murdered.  On  account  of  his  youth  he  was  overlooked 
by  the  nobility,  and  lived  in  retirement.  But  undaunted  by  his 
brother's  fate,  he  resolved  to  pursue  the  same  course,  and  was  con- 
firmed in  this  determination  by  his  mother,  Cornelia,  a  woman  of 
undaunted  spirit,  animated  by  the  purest  principles  of  patriotism. 

4.  He  commenced  his  career  by  offering  himself  a  candidate  for 
the  office  of  quaestor,  to  which  he  was  elected  without  opposition. 
His  integrity  and  ability  in  this  station  gained  the  general  approba- 
tion.    He  was  chosen  tribune  of  the  people,  B.  C.  122,  and  imme 
diately  began  to  take  measures  for  enforcing  the  Licinian  law. 

5.  The  senate  set  up  Drusus,  another  tribune,  as  a  rival  to  Grac- 
chus, and  this  wretched  minion  to  an  aristocratic  faction,  by  making 
grants  of  money  and  remissions  of  taxes  to  the  people,  soon  managed 
to  supplant  his  colleague  in  the  favor  of  the  fickle  multitude.  The 
latter,  on  standing  as  a  candidate  for  the  third  time,  lost  the  tribune- 
ship,  the  inspectors  having  been  bribed  to  make  a  false  return. 

6.  This  was  followed  by  the  elevation  of  Opimius,  the  most  vio- 
lent man  of  the  aristocratic  faction,  to  the  consulship.  A  collision 
could  not  long  be  avoided.  The  nobles,  confiding  in  the  numbers  of 
their  armed  adherents,  were  anxious  to  provoke  a  battle :  but  Grac- 
chus, although  personally  menaced  by  the  furious  consul,  wished 
to  preserve  peace. 

•^.  An  accident  precipitated  the  catastrophe.  While  the  consul 
was  performing  the  customary  morning  sacrifice,  one  of  his  lictors, 
carrying  away  the  entrails,  said  with  contemptuous  voice  and  gesture 
to  the  friends  of  Gracchus,  "  Make  way  there,  ye  worthless  fellows, 
for  honest  men!'*  This  insult  so  provoked  the  persons  to  whom  it 
was  addressed,  that  they  fell  upon  him  with  their  sharp  writing- 
ityles,  and  stabbed  him  to  the  heart.  /)  rh     /        I 


nC  0 


/• 


CHAPTER  LXXm 
E,nd  of  Roman  Freedom, 

1.  This  rude  act  afl^orded  Opimius  the  opportunity  which  he 
nad  so  eagerly  sought.  The  senate  hastily  assembled,  and  passed 
a  vote  requiring  the  consul  to  *'  take  care  that  the  republic  received 
no  detriment."  By  this  form  he  was  invested  with  dictatorial  power. 
He  immediately  issued  a  proclamation,  that  whoever  should  bring  the 
lead  of  Gracchus,  or  of  his  colleague,  Fulvius,  should  be  rewarded 
with  its  weight  in  gold. 

2.  Gracchus,  with  his  most  zealous  followers,  took  possession  of 
the  Aventine  Hill,  and  proposed  an  accommodation  to  the  senate  and 


Cains  Gracchus  1    4.  How  did  ho  beirin  his  career?    5.  Who  was  Drusus?    6.  Opirn 
iuH  ?     7.  What  accideril  led  to  a  coiillict? 
IJCXni.  — 1.  What  was  done  by  Opimius?     2.  What  by  Gracchus  and  his  party? 


/ 


/; 


/^ 


/ 


98 


d  ^ 


END  OF  ROMAN  FREEDOM. 


/ 


consuls ;  biit  the  latter,  who  were  sensible  of  the  superior  strengtV 
of  their  party,  and  were  determined  to  crush  him,  rejected  ever^ 
overture.  They  offered  pardon  to  all  who  should  abandon  Gracchus 
which  had  the  desired  effect,  and  he  soon  found  his  forces  much  d» 
mims.ied  by  desertion. 

3.  Opimius,  thirstinfj  for  slau^jhter,  led  his  men  to  the  Aventine, 
and  fell  upon  the  multitude  with  ungovernable  fury.  A  dreadful 
slaughter  ensued,  and  not  less  than  three  tliousand  citizens  were  slain 
upon  the  spot.  Gracchus  attempted  to  cross  a  bridf^e  tliat  led  from 
the  city,  but  his  pursuers  pressed  him  closely,  and  forced  him  to  take 
refuge,  with  a  companion,  in  a  grove  near  the  Tiber,  which  had  long 
been  dedicated  to  the  Furies. 

4.  Here,  finding  himself  surrounded  on  all  sides,  he  persuaded  his 
companion  to  run  him  through  with  his  sword.  This  person  then 
killed  himself;  and  the  enemy  coming  up,  cut  off  the  head  of  Grac- 
chus, which  they  stuck  on  the  point  of  a  spear,  as  a  trophy. 

5.  Septimuleius,  an  intimate  friend  of  Gracchus,  obtained  posses- 
sion of  it  and  carried  it  home  where  he  took  out  the  brain  and 
filled  the  cavity  with  lead,  to  increase  its  weight.  He  received  of 
the  consul  seventeen  pounds  of  gold  as  his  recompense. 

6.  Thus  fell,  B.  C.  120,  Caius  Gracchus,  who  is  usually  censured 
by  historians  as  guilty  of  sedition.  Whether  the  two  brothers  were 
actuated  by  ambition  or  patriotism,  in  the  promulgation  of  the  agra- 
rian law,  is  not,  perhaps,  very  easy  to  determine,  but  it  appears  tliat 
justice  was  on  their  side,  and  the  sedition  was  that  of  the  senate 
ajjainst  the  Gracchi. 

7.  But  the  republic  had  long  been  verging  to  its  fall,  and  no  hu- 
man means  could  save  it.  With  the  Gracchi  perished  the  real  freedom 
of  Rome.  From  this  time  the  power  of  the  state  was  wielded  by  a 
corrupt  and  insolent  aristocracy.  Tlie  senate  was  now  essentially 
changed  from  that  venerable  assembly  whom  we  have  seen  over- 
throwing Pyrrhus  and  Hannibal,  as  much  by  their  virtues  as  by  their 
arms. 

8.  The  men  who  composed  this  body  were  now  only  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  rest  of  the  people  by  their  hixurious  habits. 
They  ruled  the  conmionwealth  by  the  weight  of  an  authority  gained 
from  riches  and  mercenary  dependents.  The  tribunes,  who  were 
previously  accounted  protectors  of  the  peo])le,  becoming  rich  them- 
selves, and  having  no  longer  any  interests  diverse  from  those  of  the 
senate,  concurred  with  them  in  their  oppressions. 

i.  What  took  place  at  the  Aveiitine  ?  4.  What  t)ecaine  of  Gracchus  ?  5.  What  \%  r* 
laietl  of  SepiimuleiuB  ?  6.  What  was  the  character  of  the  fJracchi  9  7.  Waal  was  tot 
•Ute  ol  Rome  at  this  tinM  ?    8.  Wtiat  waa  the  character  of  the  senete  aA«i  m%x^.*  1 


THE  JL'OUKTHINh   WAR  99 


chapter)  lxxiv 

The  Jugurthine  War. 

1.  The  ^heck  of  popular  control  being  removed,  tie  profligacy 
and  corruption  of  the  nobility  soon  became  strikingly  manifest  h^ 
their  conduct  in  the  Jugurthine  war,  which  broke  out  in  the  following 
manner.  Micipsa,  king  of  Numidia,  on  his  death-bed,  divided  his 
dominions  between  his  two  sons,  Hiempsal  and  Adherbal,  and  his 
nephew,  Jugurtha,  the  latter  being  of  illegitimate  birth. 

2.  This  person,  being  determined  to  obtain  possession  of  the  whole 
inheritance,  procured  the  murder  of  Hiempsal,  and  expelled  Adher- 
bal, who  took  refuge  at  Rome.  The  senate  seemed  at  first  disposed 
to  punish  the  usurper,  but  were  easily  corrupted  by  his  gold,  which 
he  sent  to  Rome  for  this  purpose.  Ihey  decreed  that  the  kingdom 
oi  Numidia  should  be  divided  between  him  and  Adherbal. 

3.  This  success  stimulated  Jugurtha  to  fresh  iniquities ;  he  made 
war  upon  his  cousin,  gained  poss(;ssion  of  his  person  by  a  capitula- 
tion, and,  in  violation  of  the  treaty,  put  him  to  death.  Even  this 
atrocity  failed  to  arouse  a  sense  of  justice  in  the  Roman  senate,  and 
Jugurtha  would  have  escaped  unpunished,  had  not  Memmius,  one  of 
the'  tribunes,  exposed  the  profligate  venality  of  the  aristo.>rticy  in  a 
(Teneral  assembly  of  the  people. 

"^  4.  In  consequence  of  this,  Cassius  Longinus  was  sent  as  praetor  to 
Africa,  with  directions  to  bring  Jugurtha  to  Rome,  in  order  that  those 
who  had  taken  bribes  from  him  might  be  convicted.  Jugurtha,  bemg 
broufxht  before  the  assembly,  was  interrogated  by  Memmms ;  but 
Bsebuis,  another  tribune,  who  had  been  bribed  for  the  purpose,  for- 
bade tlie  king  to  reply.  .  ,      ,   i 

5.  The  people  were  filled  with  indignation,  but  Baibius  heerled 
them  not,  and  Jugurtha,  taking  courage,  ventured  on  another  mur- 
der. His  cousin,  Massiva,  then  at  Rome,  was  urging  his  own  claims 
to  the  crown  of  Numidia ;  and  Jugurtha,  seeing  him  likely  to  suc- 
ceed, resolved  to  have  him  put  out  of  the  way.  Assassins  were 
easily  procured,  and  Massiva  was  slain  in  the  street. 

6.  Such  an  insult  could  not  be  borne  by  the  Romans,  and  Jugur- 
tha was  ordered  to  depiirt.  It  is  said  that  as  he  went  out  of  the  gate 
he  turned  round,  and  gazing  at  Rome,  exclaimed,  "  Venal  city  I  and 
soon  to  perish  if  a  purchaser  can  be  found  !" 

7.  Albanus,  the  consul,  was  sent  with  an  army  to  follow  him  ;  but 
tiiis  commander  giving  up  the  direction  of  the  war  to  his  brother, 
Aulus,  an  incompetent  person,  the  Romans  were  compelled  to  hazard 
a  battle  on  disadvantageous  terms  ;  and  the  whole  army,  to  avoid 
being  pit  to  the  sword,  was  obliged  to  pass  under  the  yoke,  and 
evacuate  Numidia  within  ten  days. 


LXXIV  —  1  How  dill  the  Jugurthine  war  originate?  2.  What  waa  tne  behavior  of 
Jugurtha?  What  of  the  Roman  senate  ?  3.  What  success  had  Ju?uriha  ?  4  o.  W  ».al 
WM  dooe  by  him  at  Rome  ?  6.  What  of  his  departure  from  the  city  ?  7  \V  hat  . ma 
fortune  happened  to  the  Romans  in  Africa  ?  8.  Who  next  undert'.ok  the  war  ;».  w  .i» 
WM  tlie  succetjs  of  Metellus  ? 


100 


CONQUEST  AND  DEATH   OF  JUGURTHA. 


8.  When  this  catastrophe  was  known  at  Rome,  the  city  wu 
filled  with  g^rief  and  mortification.  The  conduct  of  the  war  waa 
given  to  Ctecilius  Metellus,  a  man  who  was  an  honor  to  his  order,  of 
high  talents,  spotless  integrity,  and  pure  morals  ;  his  only  defect  was 
pride,  ''  the  common  evil  of  the  nobility,"  as  remarked  by  Salliist 

he  historian  of  these  events. 

9.  Metellus,  on  his  arrival  in  Africa,  found  the  army  utterly  disor- 
ganized ;  but  by  assiduous  attention  to  business,  he  soon  place<l  i1  on 
an  efliicient  footing,  and  retrieved  the  affairs  of  the  Romans.  In  the 
space  of  two  years  he  overthrew  Jugurtha  in  several  battles,  expelled 
him  from  his  dominions,  and  constrained  him  to  sue  for  peace. 


GHAPXEB  LXXV. 
ConquesTand  Dedmof  Jugiirtha. 


Marius  rtcctvins;  Jugurtha  as  a  Piisuntr. 

1  Tnus  all  things  promised  a  successful  termination  of  the  war, 
»*hen  Metellus  was  frustrated  in  his  expectations  by  the  intrigues  of 
Caiufe  Marius,  who  came  in  to  reap  the  harvest  of  glory  which  the 
labors  of  Metellus  had  sown.  Marius  was  the  son  of  a  poor  villager, 
and  passed  his  early  life  in  the  labors  of  the  field.  His  manners  were 
boorish,  his  countenance  frightful,  and  his  stature  gigantic  •  his  only 
rirtue  appears  to  liave  been  j)ersonal  bravery. 

2.  When  Metellus  was  obliged,  according  to  custom,  to  solicit  at 
Rome  for  a  continuance  of  his  command,  Marius,  who  was  in  the 
Army  under  Metellus,  and  whose  ambition  knew  no  bounds   resolved 


LXXV.  —  1    Whai  of  Qaius  Marius?    2.  How  did  he  intrigue  against  Metellual 


CX)NQUEST  AND  DEATH  OF  JUGUKTHA. 


101 


t  obtain  tne  ofllice  of  general  for  himself  and  thus  gain  all  the  credit 
of  putting  an  end  to  the  war.  For  this  purpose  he  privately  traduced 
Metellus,  by  his  emissaries,  whom  he  sent  to  Rome,  and  having 
excited  a  spirit  of  discontent  against  him,  he  obtained  leave  of  ab- 
sence and  returned  to  the  capital,  himself  to  stand  for  the  consulship. 

3.  This  had  been  one  great  object  of  his  ambition,  but  the  consul- 
ship was  an  office  which  had  hitherto  been  the  exclusive  property  of 
the  nobility.  Marius,  however,  was  sagacious  enough  to  perceive 
that  the  times  were  changed,  and  that  the  people  would  gladly  seize 
an  occasion  to  humble  the  aristocracy. 

4.  He  was  received  on  his  return  with  high  favor  by  the  people, 
while  Metellus  was  abused  by  them  ;  the  latter  was  a  noble,  the  for- 
mer one  of  themselves,  the  man  of  the  people.  Party  sjurit  is  al- 
ways blind  to  the  defects  of  a  favorite  and  the  merits  of  an  adversary. 

5.  The  elections  approached ;  the  tribunes  harangued,  the  peasants 
and  the  workmen  of  tlie  city  left  their  business  to  support  Marius ; 
the  nobility  were  defeated,  and  he  was  made  consul,  B.  C.  107.  He 
was  then  invested  with  the  supreme  power  for  managing  the  war, 
and  Metellus  was  recalled. 

6.  Marius  showed  himself  an  able  general  in  the  war  against  Ju- 
gurtha. His  vigilance  and  skill  were  equal  to  his  valor,  and  he 
quickly  reduced  all  the  towns  which  that  monarch  had  yet  remaining 
in  Numidia.  The  latter,  finding  himself  unable  to  contend  smgly 
with  the  Romans,  had  recourse  to  Bocchus,  king  of  Mauritania, 
whose  daughter  he  had  married. 

7.  By  a  promise  of  one  third  of  the  kingdom  of  Jugurtha,  Boc- 
shus  was  induced  to  join  him,  and  their  joint  forces  attacked  the 
ilonian  camp  by  night,  gaining  a  considerable  advantage.  This  suc- 
tess.  however,  was  of  short  continuance.  Marius  shortly  after  over 
threw  them  in  two  battles,  in  one  of  which  ninety  thousand  Africans 
were  left  dead  on  the  field. 

8.  Bocchus,  now  finding  the  Romans  too  strong  for  him,  attempted 
to  make  a  peace  for  himself.  The  senate  received  his  ambassador? 
with  their  usual  haughtiness,  and  gave  him  to  understand  that  Jugur- 
tha must  be  delivered  up  to  them. 

9.  The  pride  of  the  Mauritanian  king  struggled  against  such  9 
proposal,  but  by  artful  negotiations  he  was  at  length  induced  to  betra} 
his  son-in-law.  The  crafty  Niunidian,  who  had  so  long  set  the 
power  of  Rome  at  defiance,  was  lured  to  a  conference,  and  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  Sulla,  who  commanded  in  the  absence  of  Marius. 

10.  Jugurtha  was  loaded  with  chains  and  sent  to  Rome.  His  end 
exhibits  a  deplorable  instance  of  fallen  greatness  and  blighted  ambi- 
tion. He  was  exhibited  to  the  populace  of  the  capital  at  the  triumph 
of  Marius,  and  immediately  thrown  naked  into  the  Tullian  dungeon, 
at  the  foot  of  the  capitol.  **  Hercules  !"  said  he,  with  affected  gayety, 
as  ho  entered  it,  *'  what  a  cold  bath  you  have !"  Here  he  was  left  to 
starve  to  death,  B.  C.  106. 


3.  How  were  ihc  limes  chansred  at  Rome?    4.  How  were  Marias  and  Metellus  received 
Ibere?    5.  What  success  h.n!  Marius  in  the  election?    6,  How  did  he  conduct  tiie  waj 
Id  >frica?     7.  How  was  Bocchus  induced  to  join  Jugurtha?     W^hal  battles  foUowed 
8,  9    How  wa*j  Jugurllia  sivcn  up  to  the  Romans?     10.  What  hecame  jf  \\\n\% 


9^ 


\j     t^/h 


102  INVASION  OF  THE  CIMBRIANS  AND  TEUTONKS 

CHAPTER  y^XXVI^ 

Invasion  of  the  Cimhrians  and  Teutones, 

1.  In  the  year  110  B.  C,  intelligence  reached  Rome  of  Oi" 
anproach  of  a  barharous  people  named  Cimhrians.  This  people  is 
supposed  to  have  inhabited  the  peninsula  of  Jutland,  and  those  parti 
which  afterwards  sent  forth  the  Anglo-Saxon  conquerors  of  England 
At  this  time,  urged  by  some  of  the  causes  which  usually  set  barba- 
rous tribes  in  motion,  they  resolved  to  migrate  southwards. 

2.  The  consul  Cn.  Papirius  Carbo,  gave  them  battle,  but  was 
defeated.  The  barbarians,  however,  instead  of  advancing  into  Italy, 
turned  back,  and  being  joined  by  a  German  people  named  the  Ten 
tones,  poured  into  Southern  Gaul,  where  they  defeated  the  consul  M. 
Junius  Silanus.  The  next  year  the  consul  M.  Aurelius  Scaurus  had 
a  similar  fate  ;  and  in  the  following  year  the  consul  L.  Cassius 
Longinus  was  defeated  and  slain  by  the  Tigurinians,  a  Helvetic 
people  who  had  joined  the  Cimhrians,  and  the  remnant  of  his  army 
Acre  compelled  to  pass  under  the  yoke  to  escape  destruction. 

3.  Marius,  who  was  made  consul  a  third  time,  employed  himself 
chiefly  in  restoring  the  discipline  of  the  army;  and  Sulla,  who  was 
his  legate  tbe  first,  and  a  tribune  the  second  year,  displayed  his  diplo- 
matic talent  now  in  Gaul  as  before  in  Numidia,  and  thus  augmented 
the  envy  and  hatred  with  which  the  rude  ferocious  consul  regarded 
him. 

4.  His  colleague  happening  to  die  just  before  the  elections,  Marius 
went  to  Rome  to  hold  them,  and  there  his  friend  the  tribune  L. 
Apuleius  Saturninus,  as  had  been  arranged  between  them,  proposed 
him  for  a  consul  a  fourth  time.  Marius  affected  to  decline  the  honor , 
Saturninus  called  him  a  traitor  to  his  country  if  he  refused  to  serve 
her  in  the  time  of  her  peril ;  the  scene  was  well  acted  between  ihem 
and  Marius  was  made  consul  with  Q.  Lutatius  Catulus. 

5.  The  province  of  Gaul  was  decreed  to  both  the  consuls ;  and  as 
the  barbarians  had  divided  their  forces,  the  Cimhrians  moving  to  enter 
Italy  on  the  north-east,  the  Teutones  and  Ambrons  from  Gaul,  Marius 
crossed  the  Alps,  and  fortified  a  strong  camp  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone,  that  he  might  raise  the  spirit  of  his  men,  and  accustom  them 
to  the  sight  of  tlie  huge  bodies  and  ferocious  mien  of  the  barbarians. 

6.  He  refused  all  their  challenges  to  fight,  and  contented  himself 
^ith  repelling  their  assaults  on  his  camp  ;  and  at  last  the  barbarians, 
giving  up  all  hopes  of  forcing  him  to  action,  resolved  to  cross  the 
Alps,  leaving  liim  behind  them.  We  are  told  that  they  spent  six 
days  in  marching  by  the  Roman  camp,  and  that  as  they  went  they 
jeeringly  asked  the  soldiers  if  they  had  any  messages  to  send  to  theii 
wives. 


DEFEAT  OF   THE  BARBARIANS. 


\ 


I 


IJCXVI.  — 1.  What  of  the  Cimhrians?  2.  The  Teutones  and  Tigurinians  1  3.  01 
Marius  and  Sulla  ?  4.  How  did  Marius  obtain  the  consulship?  5,  6.  What  of  the  cwtt 
I  nign  of  Marius  aga/nrt  the  '>arl>arian3  ? 


103 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

Defeat  of  the  Barbarians, 

1.  Marius  then  broke  up  his  camp  and  followed  them,  keeping  or 
the  high  grounds  till  he  came  to  Aquae  Sextiae.  He  there  chose  foi 
his  camp  an  eminence  where  there  was  no  water,  and  when  his 
soldiers  complained,  he  pointed  to  a  stream  running  by  the  enemies' 
camp,  and  told  them  they  must  buy  it  there  with  their  blood.  "  Lead 
us  on  then  at  once,  while  our  blood  is  warm!"  cried  they.  "We 
must  first  secure  our  camp,"  coolly  replied  the  general. 

2.  The  camp-servants,  taking  with  them  axes,  hatchets,  and  some 
spears  and  swords,  for  their  defence,  went  down  to  the  stream  to 
water  the  beasts,  and  they  drove  off  such  of  the  enemies  as  they 
met.  The  noise  roused  the  Ambrons,  who  were  at  their  dinner. 
They  put  on  their  armor  and  crossed  the  stream ;  the  Ligurians 
advanced  to  engage  them,  some  more  Roman  troops  succeeded,  and 
the  Ambrons  were  driven  back  to  their  wagons  with  loss.  This 
check  irritated  the  barbarians  exceedingly,  and  the  Romans  passed 
the  night  in  anxiety,  expecting  an  attack. 

3.  In  the  morning,  Marius,  having  sent  the  legate  Claudius  Mar- 
cellus  with  three  thousand  men  to  occupy  a  woody  hill  in  the  enemy's 
rear,  prepared  to  give  battle.  The  impatient  barbarians  charged 
uphill ;  the  Romans,  with  the  advantage  of  the  ground,  drove  them 
back,  Marcellus  fell  on  their  rear,  and  the  rout  was  soon  complete  , 
the  slain  and  the  captives  were,  it  is  said,  not  less  than  one  hundred 
thousand.  As  Marius,  after  the  battle,  stood  with  a  torch,  in  the  act 
of  setting  fire  to  a  pile  of  their  arms,  messengers  arrived  with  tidings 
of  his  being  chosen  consul  for  the  fifth  time. 

4.  Catulus,  meantime,  had  not  been  equally  fortunate.  Not 
thinking  it  safe  to  divide  his  forces  for  defending  the  passes  of  the 
Alps,  he  retired  behind  the  Atesis,  securing  the  fords,  and  having  a 
bridge  in  front  of  his  position  to  communicate  with  the  country  on  the 
other  side.  But  when  the  Cimhrians  poured  down  from  the  Alps, 
and  were  beginning  to  fill  up  the  bed  of  the  river,  his  soldiers  grew 
alarmed,  and  unable  to  retain  them,  he  led  them  back,  abandoning  the 
plain  of  the  Po  to  the  barbarians. 

5.  Catulus  was  continued  in  his  command  as  proconsul  the  next 
year ;  his  deficiency  of  military  talent  being  supplied  by  the  ability 
of  Sulla,  who  had  left  Marius  to  join  him.  Marius,  who  was 
at  Rome,  instead  of  triumphing  as  was  expected,  sunnnoned  his 
troops  from  Gaul,  and  proceeded  to  imitcthcm  with  those  of  Catulus, 
hoping  to  have  the  glory  of  a  second  victory.  A  battle  took  place  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Vercellac  ;  Marius  placed  his  own  troops  on  the 
win^rs  and  those  of  Catulus  in  the  centre,  which  he  threw  back,  ir 
order  that  they  might  have  as  little  share  as  possible  in  the  action. 


IJCXVII. —  1,  2.  What  of  the  encampment  of  Marius  at  Aquae  Sextiae  ?    3.  What  of 
>lie  Sittle  here?    4.  What  was  the  success  of  Catulus?    5,  6.  What  oi  tho  battle  (H 


104 


TUMULTS  AT  ROME. 


6.  But  this  manoeuvre  was  a  failure,  for  an  immcns/  cloud  of  duel 
fisintr,  which  prevented  the  troops  from  seeing  each  oilier,  Marius  in 
his  chartre  Mi  the  enemy  on  one  side,  and  the  hrunt  of  the  hattle  fell 
ou  the  troops  of  Catulus.  The  dust  was  of  advantage  to  the  Romans, 
as  it  orevented  their  seeing  the  number  of  their  foes ;  the  heat  of  the 
weather  (it  being  now  July)  exhausted  the  bi^rbarians,  and  they  were 
obliged  to  give  way,  and  as  their  front  ranks  had  bound  themselvea 
toiTCther  by  chains  from  their  waists,  they  could  not  escape. 

7.  A  dreadful  spectacle  presented  itself  when  the  Romans  drove 
them  to  their  line  of  wagons ;  the  women  rushed  out,  fell  on  the 
fuf^itives,  and  then  slew  themselves  and  their  children  ;  the  men  too 
put  an  end  to  themselves  in  various  ways ;  the  captives  amounted  to 
sixty  thousand,  the  slain  to  double  that  number. 

8  Marius  and  Catulus  triumphed  together,  and  though  the  former 
had  had  little  share  in  the  victory,  his  rank  and  the  fame  of  his  former 
exploits  caused  this  also  to  be  ascribed  to  him  ;  the  multitude  called 
him  the  third  founder  of  Rome,  and  poured  out  libations  to  him  with 
the  gods  at  their  meals. 

9.  One  evil  of  great  magnitude  which  resulted  from  this  war  was, 
the  great  number  of  slaves  that  it  dispersed  over  the  Roman  doiniii 
ions  ;  and  at  this  very  time  those  of  Sicily  were  again  in  insurrection. 
Under  the  guidance  of  a  slave  named  Salvius,  who  assumed  the  name 
of  Trypho^and  the  royal  dignity,  they  defeated  the  Roman  armies. 
In  another  part  of  the  island  the  slaves  made  one  Athenio,  a  Cilician. 
their  kinrr,  but  he  submitted  to  Trypho,  after  whose  death  he  had  the 
supreme  "command.  At  length  the  consul  M.  Aquilius  slew  Athenio 
with  his  own  hand  in  an  engagement,  and  suppressed  the  rebellion. 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 


Tumults  at  Rome, 


1.  The  cruelty  with  which  the  nobility  had  used  their  victory  over 
the  Gracchi,  and  the  scandalous  corruption  and  profligacy  whic'i  they 
had  exhibited  in  the  case  of  Jugunha,  had  greatly  exasperated  the 
people  ao-ainst  them,  and  had  alienated  from  them  the  affections  of  the 
lovers  of  justice  and  honor.  Ambitious  and  revengeful  men  took 
advantage  of  this  state  of  feeling,  to  have  themselves  made  tribunes, 
and  to  procure  enactments  injurious  to  the  nobles  as  a  body  and  as 

iiidividuals.  i        •  i 

2.  Marius  was  raised  a  sixth  time  to  the  consulate,  and  it  is  said 
that  he  employed  both  money  and  arts  to  prevent  Metellus  from  bemg 
>is  colleague,  and  to  have  L.  Valerius  Flaccus,  on  whom  he  could 
rely,  appomted.     His  ai/ies  were  Glaucia  and  Saturninus,  both  mor 


Vercellse?    7.  What  was  the  result  of  this  battle?    8.  What  of  the  triumph  of  3Iarin8 
•nd Catulus?    9.  What  evil  followed  this  war? 
LXXVIII.  —  1.  How  were  the  i)eople  exaspera'ed  against  the  'rbxliiyi    ^   ^'^  riaioi 


TUMULTS  AT  ROME. 


106 


ill 


At  enemies  to  Metellus,  who,  but  for  his  colleague,  uould,  in  his 
censorship,  have  degraded  them  for  their  scandalous  lives. 

3  Glaucia,  as  praitor,  presided  when  Saturninus  stood  a  second 
lime  for  the  tribunate.  He  was  notwithstanding  rejected,  and  X. 
Nonius,  a  bitter  enemy  to  them  both,  was  elected ;  but  when  the 
new  tribune  left  the  assembly,  they  sent  a  body  of  their  satellites 
after  him,  who  murdered  him  ;  and  the  next  morning  Glau^'^a,  without 
waiting  for  the  people,  made  his  own  crew  appoint  Saiurninus  to 
take  his  place,  no  one  venturing  even  to  murmur. 

4.  A  series  of  popular  measures  were  now  introduced.  By  ore 
law  the  land  which  had  been  recovered  from  the  Chnbrians  beyond 
the  Po  was  to  be  treated  as  conquered  land,  without  any  regard  to 
the  rights  of  its  Gallic  owners,  and  divided  among  Roman  citizens 
anu  soldiers ;  one  hundred  acres  apiece  were  to  be  given  to  the 
veterans  in  Africa,  colonies  were  to  be  sent  to  Sicily,  Achaia,  and 
Macedonia,  and  the  prize  gold  was  to  be  employed  in  the  purchase  of 
lands  to  be  divided. 

5.  By  another  law  corn  was  to  be  distributed  to  the  people  every 
month  trrnfis.     It  was  added  to  the  law  for  dividing  the  Gallic  land 
that  in  case  of  its  passing,  the  senate  must  within  five  days  swear  tc 
it,  and  that  any  one  who  refused  should  be  expelled  the  senate,  ani 
fined  five  hundred  thousand  sesterces. 

().  The  laws  relating  to  the  division  of  the  lands  were  not  at  all 
pleasing  to  the  town  population,  who  saw  that  the  advantages  would 
fall  mostly  to  the  Italian  allies.  The  movers,  therefore,  took  care  to 
bring  in  from  the  country  large  numbers  of  those  who  had  served 
under  Marius,  to  overawe  and  outvote  the  people  of  the  city.  These 
.ast  cried  out  that  it  thundered,  which,  according  to  the  Roman  super- 
stition, would  have  made  the  vote  illegal.  Saturninus  took  no  heed, 
but  urged  on  his  law ;  they  then  girt  their  clothes  about  them,  seized 
whatever  came  to  hand,  and  fell  on  the  country  folk,  who,  incited  by 
Saturninus,  attacked  them  in  turn,  drove  them  olF,  and  then  passed 
4ie  law. 

7.  Marius,  as  consul,  laid  the  matter  before  the  senate,  declaring 
that  he  for  one  would  never  take  the  oath.  Metellus,  for  whom  the 
snare  was  laid,  made  a  similar  declaration  ;  the  rest  expressed  their 
approbation,  and  Marius  closed  the  senate.  On  the  fifth  day  he 
assembled  them  again  in  haste,  telling  them  that  the  people  were 
very  furious  for  the  measure,  and  that  he  saw  no  remedy  but  foi 
J.hem  to  swear  to  it  as  far  as  it  was  law,  and  that  when  the  country 
people  were  gone  home  they  might  easily  show  that  it  was  not  law, 
as  it  had  been  carried  by  force  and  when  there  was  thunder.  He 
himself  and  his  friends  then  swore ;  the  rest,  though  thev  now  saw 
through  the  trick,  were  afraid  not  to  do  the  same. 

8.  Metellus  alone  refused.  Next  day  Saturninus  sent  and  had 
him  dragged  out  of  the  senate-house  ;  when  the  other  tribunes 
defended  him,  Glaucia  and  Saturninus  ran  to  the  country  people  tell- 
big  them  they  had  no  chance  of  land  if  Metellus  was  allowed  to 

»he  iixih  consulship  of  Marius  ?    3.  What  of  ihe  tribunate  ?    4,  5.  What  new  lawi?  wn 
WW  propoted  ?    6.   iow  were  these  laws  relished  ?    7,  8   How  was  Metellus  driv  m  iVM 


J)6 


THE  SOCIAL  WAR 


THE  SOCIAL  WAR. 


iU> 


rtmaiii  in  Rome.  Saturninus  then  proposed  that  the  ccnsuls  should 
be  directed  to  interdict  him  from  fire,  water,  and  lod^inf^.  The 
town  people  armed  themselves,  and  were  resolved  to  defend  him  ; 
but  Metellus,  thanking  them  for  their  zeal,  said  he  would  not  have 
his  country  endanjrered  on  his  account,  and  he  went  into  voluntary 
exile  at  Rhodes.  Saturninus  then  had  his  bill  ajrainst  him  passed, 
and  Marius  made  the  proclamation  with  no  little  pleasure. 

9.  When  the  elections  came  on,  Saturninus  caused  himic  f  to  be 
rechosen,  ana  with  Lm  a  freedman  named  L.  EquitiusFirmo,  wli(»m 
he  gave  out  to  be  a  son  of  Tib.  Gracchus,  in  order  to  gain  him  the 
p(tpular  favor.  But  the  great  object  of  him  and  his  faction  was  to 
grt  Glaucia  into  the  consulate,  which  was  a  matter  of  some  dilTiculty, 
for  M.  Anlonius,  the  celebrated  orator,  had  been  already  chosen  for 
one  of  the  places,  and  C.  Memmius,  a  man  of  high  character,  and 
extremely  popular,  stood  for  the  other. 

10.  They  did  not,  however,  let  this  difficulty  long  stand  in  their 
way.  Tliey  sent  some  of  their  satellites,  armed  with  sticks,  who,  in 
the  open  day,  in  the  midst  of  the  election  and  before  all  the  people, 
fell  on  Meinmius  and  beat  him  to  death  !  The  assembly  was  dis- 
solved, and  Saturninus,  next  morning,  having  summoned  his  adherents 
from  the  country,  occupied  the  capitol,  with  Glaucia,  the  quaestor  0. 
Saufeius,  and  some  others. 

11.  The  senate,  having  met,  declared  them  public  enemies,  and 
directed  the  consuls  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  the  state.  Marina 
then  reluctantly  took  arms  against  his  friends.  While  he  loitered, 
some  of  the  more  determined  cut  the  pipes  which  supplic<l  the 
capitol  with  water.  When  the  thirst  became  intolerable,  Saufeius 
proposed  to  burn  the  temple ;  but  the  others,  relying  on  Marius, 
agreed  to  surrender  on  the  public  faith. 

12.  There  was  a  general  cry  to  put  them  to  death  ;  but  Marius,  in 
order  to  save  them,  shut  them  up  in  the  senate-house,  under  pretext 
of  acting  more  legally.  The  people,  however,  would  not  be  balked 
of  their  vengeance  ;  they  stripped  off  the  roof,  and  flung  tne  tiles 
down  on  them  and  killed  them.  A  number  of  their  adherents  also 
were  slain,  and  among  them  the  false  Gracchus.  A  decree  for  the 
recall  of  Metellus  was  joyfully  passed  by  the  senate  and  people 


CHAPTER   LXXIX. 

The  Social  War, 


y^ 


1.  Matters  now  remained  tranquil  for  a  few  years.  In  the  year 
yi  U.  C,  the  tribune  M.  Livius  Drusus,  the  son  of  the  opponent  of 
0.  Gracchus,  a  young  man  of  many  estimable  qualities,  but  of  great 
pride  and  arrogance,  brought  forward  a  series  of  measures,  by  which 


axilcf    9,  10    What  tumults  took  place  at  the  electiona?     II.  What  was  done  »    tb# 
capilul  \     12.  What  at  the  senate  hou«i«. 


ne  pi  jposed  to  reraedy  the  evils  of  (he  state,  and  restore  the  lathoriiy 
of  the  senate. 

2.  To  gain  the  common  people  at  Rome,  he  proposed  that  the 
colonies  in  Italy  and  Sicily,  which  had  been  long  since  voted,  should 
be  formed,  and  that  the  Sempronian  law  for  the  distribution  of  corn 
should  be  retained.  He  further  resolved  to  give  the  freedom  of  the 
state  to  all  the  Italians.  He  carried  on  his  measures  with  some  vio 
lence,  and  one  evening,  when  he  returned  home  from  the  forum,  fol- 
lowed ;is  usual  by  a  great  crowd,  and  was  in  his  hall  dismissing 
them,  he  cried  out  that  he  was  wounded.  A  shoemaker's  knife  was 
found  stuck  in  his  thigh,  but  the  assassin  was  not  discovered.  "  Ah  ! 
my  friends  and  relations,"  said  he,  as  he  lay  dying,  "  will  the  repub- 
lic ever  have  a  citizen  such  as  I?"  No  judicial  inquiry  was  insti- 
tuted into  this  murder,  and  all  the  laws  of  Drusus  were  abroo-ated. 

3.  The  knights  resolved  to  push  their  success  to  the  uttermost, 
and  to  break  down  the  authority  of  the  senate.  They  therefore  made 
a  law  to  punish  all  those  who  had  openly  or  secretly  aided  the  Ital- 
ians in  their  designs  against  the  state  ;  for,  as  many  of  the  principal 
senators  had  favored  their  claims,  they  intended  in  this  way  to  drive 
them  from  the  city.  The  tribunes  interposed  ;  but  the  knights  stood 
round  them  brandishing  their  naked  daggers  ;  the  law  was  passed , 
and  prosecutions  were  instantly  commenced  against  the  leading  sena- 
tors.    Many  were  condemned  ;  others  went  into  voluntary  exile. 

4.  The  Italian  allies,  meantime,  seeing  that  they  had  nothing  now 
to  expect  from  the  justice  of  Rome,  had  resolved  on  an  appeal  to 
arms,  and  began  secretly  to  make  the  requisite  combinations  among 
themselves.  The  Romans,  aware  of  what  they  were  meditating, 
sent  spies  to  the  different  towns  ;  and  one  of  these  seeing  a  youth  led 
as  a  hostage  from  the  town  of  Asculum  in  Picenum  to  another  town, 
gave  information  to  the  proconsul  Q.  Servilius,  who  hastened  thither, 
and  sharply  rebuked  the  Asculans  for  what  they  were  doing  ;  hut 
they  fell  on  him,  and  slew  him  and  his  legate  Fonteius,  and  then 
massacred  all  the  Romans  in  the  place,  and  pillaged  their  houses. 

5.  Before  the  confederates  commenced  the  war,  they  sent  to  Rome, 
requiring  to  be  admitted  to  a  participation  in  the  honors  and  advan- 
tages of  that  state,  to  whose  great?iess  they  had  so  mainly  contributed. 
The  senate  replied,  that  if  they  repented  of  what  they  had  done,  they 
might  send  a  deputation  ;  otherwise,  not.  The  confederates  then 
resolved  to  try  the  chance  of  war  ;  their  army,  formed  from  the  con- 
.ingents  of  their  sevenil  states,  amounted  to  one  hundred  thousand 
men,  exnusive  of  the  domestic  forces  of  each  state. 

6.  All  the  people  of  the  Sabellian  race,  except  the  Sabines  and 
Hernicians,  who  had  long  since  become  Roman  citizens,  shared  in  the 
war  wiiich  now  bioke  out;  Rome  was  now  compelled  to  struggle 
lor  her  existence  with  enemies  whose  troops  equalled  her  own  in 
number,  discipline,  and  valor,  and  who  had  generals  as  skilful  as 
those  she  could  oppose  to  them.     The  allies  chose  Corfiniufii,  tho 

LXXIX.  —  1.2.  What  new  measure  was  proposed  by  Drusus  ?    Wl-nt  was  tho  conse 
qiieiice?    3    Wh.it  was  done  by  the  knii^hts?    4,  What  by  the  allies?    5.  What  oi 
tliftir  embassy  to  Rome?    6,  What  was  the  character  of  this  •«»'•?     WUat  namo  "vaa 
jiven  o  it? 


108 


THE   SOCIAL  WAR. 


ohief  lew     of  tlie  Pelitrnians,  for  their  capital,  under  the  nuirx  of 
Italica ;  they  appointed  a  senate  of  five  hundred  members,  two  con 
suls,  and  twelve  praetors.     This  war  is  named  the  Social  War,  and 
somethiies  the  IVIarsic  or  Italian  War,  from  the  Mareians,  an  ItJiliai 
people  engaged  in  it. 


CHAPTER  LXXX. 
The  Social  War, 


IV  V 


u^ 


H 


1.  The  advantages  in  the  Social  War  were  at  first  all  on  the  side 
of  the  allies.  They  defeated  the  consul  Julius,  and  took  the  town  of 
i^sernia,  in  Samniuni  ;  seized  Venafrum  by  treachery,  and  de- 
fc*.royed  two  Roman  cohorts  there.  They  also  defeated  a  force  often 
thousand  men  under  the  legate  Perpcrna,  killed  four  thousand  of 
them,  entered  Campania,  and  took  Minturna?,  Nola,  Stabiae,  and 
Salernum. 

2.  Rutilius  and  Marius,  who  commanded  the  Roman  forces,  ad- 
vanced to  the  Liris,  over  which  they  threw  two  bridges  within  a  short 
distance  of  each  other.  Vcttius  Scato,  the  Martic  leader,  who  was 
encamped  opposite  that  of  Marius,  went  and  lay  in  ambush  dunnrr 
ilie  niojit  near  that  of  Rutilius  ;  and  when  the  Romans  crossed  in  the 
morning,  he  drove  them  back  with  a  loss  of  eight  thousand  men, 
Kutilius  receiving  a  wound  in  the  head,  of  which  he  afterwards  died. 
But  in  the  mean  time  Marius  had  crossed  over  and  taken  Vettius' 
camp,  which  obliged  him  to  retreat.  When  the  bodies  of  the  consul 
and  other  men  of  rank  were  brought  to  Rome  for  interment,  the  sight 
was  so  dispiriting,  that  the  senate  made  a  decree  that  in  future  all 
who  fell  should  be  buried  on  the  spot ;  the  Italians,  when  they  heard 
of  it,  made  a  similar  decree. 

3.  The  Marsians,  having  attacked  Marius,  were  driven  back  into 
some  vineyards,  whither  he  did  not  venture  to  pursue  them  ;  but 
Sulla,  who  was  encamped  behind  the  vineyards,  when  he  heard  the 
noise  fell  on  the  fugitives ;  and  the  entire  loss  of  the  Marsians  was 
six  thousand  men. 

4.  In  this  war  the  conduct  of  Marius  was  little  worthy  of  his  for- 
mer fame.  Either  in  consequence  of  his  age,  (he  was  now  sixty- 
five,)  or  of  a  nervous  disorder,  as  he  himself  said,  he  acted  with 
timidity  and  irresolution,  shutting  himself  up  in  an  entrenched  camp, 
and  allowing  the  enemy  to  insult  him,  and  finally  resigning  his  com- 
mand. 

5.  The  first  year  of  the  war  was  now  drawing  to  a  cbse  ;  the 
Eenate  had  been  obliged  to  allow  the  freedmen  to  be  enlisted  for  the 
legions,  and  the  Tuscans  and  Umbrians  showed  strong  symptoms  of 
an  inclination  to  share  in  the  revolt.  The  opponents  to  the  claims 
of  the  allies  were  therefore  forced  to  yield,  and  the  consul  Julius  had 


LXXX.  —  I.  What  was  rhe  success  of  tlie  Social  War  at  the  commencement  7  2.  Wr.«! 
»ttle  was  fought  or.  the  Liris?  3.  What  was  the  success  of  the  Marsians?  4.  Whai 
•as  l\hi  conduct  of  Mari'^s?     5.  What  of  the  Tuscans  aiiJ  Umbrians?    6    What  iW 


KIVALRY  OF  MARIUS  AND  SULLA. 


09 


1  law  passed  granting  the  civic  franchise  to  the  Latins,  and  thosi 
who  had  not  revolted  ;  and  finally  to  those  who  should  lay  down 
their  arms.     This  prudent  measure  at  once  quieted  the  Tuscans. 

6.  The  consuls  of  the  next  year  were  Cn.  Pompeius  Strabo  and 
M.  Porcius  Cato.  The  former  defeated  a  body  of  fifteen  thousand 
Italians,  who  were  on  their  march  for  Etruria ;  the  slain  were  five 
thousand  in  number  ;  and  it  being  winter,  more  than  half  of  those 
who  escaped  perished  by  hunger  and  the  severity  of  the  weather. 

7.  The  Romans  having  laid  siege  to  Asculum,  Judacilius,  whv% 
was  a  native  of  that  town,  advanced  with  eight  cohorts  to  its  relief, 
sending  word  to  the  people  to  make  a  sally  when  they  saw  h  jn. 
This,  however,  they  neglected  to  do ;  but  he  forced  his  way  in,  and 
seeing  that  there  was  no  chance  of  his  being  able  to  maintain  the 
town,  he  resolved  not  to  let  those  escape  who  had  turned  the  people 
against  him.  lie  seized  and  put  them  to  death,  and  then  raised 
a  pyre  in  a  temple,  on  which  he  placed  a  couch ;  and  having  feasted 
with  his  friends,  and  swallowed  poison,  he  lay  down,  directing  them 
to  set  fire  to  it,  and  he  thus  perished. 

8.  Fortune  was  now  everywhere  adverse  to  the  allies ;  one  by  one 
they  had  lost  their  best  generals  ;  the  spirit  of  resistance  gradually 
died  away  ;  and  they  all,  except  the  Samnites  and  Lucanians,  submitted 
and  received  the  Roman  franchise ;  and  thus,  after  two  years,  ended, 
in  the  concessions  that  might  have  obviated  it,  the  Social  War,  which 
had  cost  Italy  the  loss  of  three  hundred  thousand  of  the  flower  of  her 
population,  B.C.  8t).  ^ 


CHAPTER  W;XXXIJ 

Rivalry  of  Marius  arid  Stilia, 


1.  The  merits  of  Sulla  in  the  Social  War  had  been  so  great,  that  he 
was  raised  immediately  to  the  consulate,  with  Q.  Pompeius  Rufus, 
ind  the  conduct  of  the  war  against  Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus,  was 
committed  to  him.  But  the  envy  and  the  cupidity  of  Marius  were 
excited,  and  he  resolved  if  possible  to  deprive  him  of  his  command. 
He  leagued  himself  for  this  purpose  with  P.  Sulpicius  Rufus,  a 
tribune  of  the  people,  a  man  of  talent,  and  a  daring  character,  and 
immersed  in  debt.  These  two  projected  a  law  for  transferring  the 
command  to  Marius. 

2.  For  this  purpose  it  was  necessary  to  get  a  majority  in  the 
tribes;  and,  as  this  could  not  be  efi^ecte'd  as  they  were  then  consti- 
tuted, Sulpicius  brought  in  a  bill  for  distributing  the  new  citizens 
among  all  the  tribes  ;  for  as  they  were  highly  discontented  with  their 
presijnt  position,  he  reckoned  that  they  would  give  their  votes  to  those 
who  would  relieve  them  from  it.     But  the  old  citizens  were  not  so 


Pom|)elus  Strabo?     7.  What  happened  at  Asculum?     8.   How  did  ihi  Social  Wai 
tnd? 
LXXXI.  —  I.  What  of  the  rivalry  of  Sulla  and  Marius  ?    2    What  was  done  by  SiUo^ 

10 


110 


RIVALRY  OF  MARHJS  AND  SULLA. 


willin£r  to  part  with  their  monopoly  ;  and  they  employed  sticks  and 
stones  against  the  intruders. 

3.  As  the  day  of  voting  drew  near,  Sulpicius  enjoined  his  adhe 
.•ents  to  come  to  the  forum  with  concealed  daggers,  and  to  act  as  he 
should  direct  them.  A  tumult  ensued,  the  daggers  were  drawn  and 
brandished,  and  the  consuls  menaced.  Pompeius  fled  ;  Sulla  retired 
to  consult  the  senate ;  and  while  he  was  away  the  Sulpician  party 
Odl  on  and  murdered  the  son  of  Pompeius,  for  freely  speaking  his 
mind.  Sulla,  unable  to  resist,  set  out  for  his  arrny,  which  was  al 
Nola;  Sulpicius  then  had  his  bill  passed  forthwith,  and  the  Mithri- 
datic  war  was  decreed  to  Marius. 

4.  Sulla,  having  assembled  his  troopa,  iaformed  them  of  all  that 
had  occurred  ;  and  as  their  hopes  of  plunder  in  the  east  were  high, 
and  they  feared  that  Marius  might  have  other  troops  and  other  officers,' 
they  called  on  him  to  lead  them  at  once  to  Rome.  He  gladly  obeyed* 
and  set  forth  at  the  head  of  six  legions.  The  soldiers  stoned' the 
tribunes  whom  Marius  sent  to  take  the  command  ;  the  senate,  com- 
pelled by  Marius,  sent  two  praetors  to  prohibit  the  advance  of  Sulla, 
but  they  narrowly  escaped  with  their  lives  from  the  soldiery. 

5.  Other  embassies  followed,  praying  Sulla  not  to  come  nearer 
than  where  he  was,  at  the  fifth  milestone,  Marius  wishing  to  get 
time  to  prepare  for  defence.  Sulla,  seeing  through  the  design,  gave 
the  promise  ;  but  he  followed  close  on  the  heels  of  the  envoys,  and 
he  himself,  with  one  legion,  seized  the  Calian  gate,  while  Pompeius, 
with  another,  secured  the  Colline ;  a  third  went  round  to  the  bridtre] 
a  fourth  stayed  without,  and  Sulla  led  the  remaining  two  into  the 
city.  The  people  began  to  fling  missiles  and  tiles  on  them  from  the 
roofs ;  but  when  Sulla  threatened  to  set  fire  to  the  houses,  they 
desisted.  Marius  and  his  party  gave  them  battle  at  the  Esquiline, 
but  were  defeated ;  and  Marius  and  Sulpicius,  having  vainly  essayed 
to  excite  the  slaves,  fled  out  of  the  city. 

6.  Sulla  next  day  assembled  the  people,  and  having  deplored  the 
lundition  into  which  the  constitution  had  been  brought  by  the  arts 
and  the  violence  of  wicked  men,  proposed,  as  the  only  remedy,  a 
return  to  the  former  wholesome  stale  of  things  ;  that  no  measure 
should  be  brought  before  the  people  that  had  not  been  examined  and 
approved  of  by  the  senate  ;  and  that  the  voting  should  be  by  the 
classes,  as  arranged  by  King  Servius,  and  not  by  the  tribes.  He 
then,  as  the  senate  was  so  much  reduced,  selected  three  hundred  of 
the  most  respectable  men  to  augment  it.  All  the  late  measures  of 
Sulpicius  were  declared  illegal,  and  himself  and  the  elder  end  youngei 
Marius,  and  about  twelve  other  senators,  were  outlawed,  and  their 
property  confiscated. 


l^"f/    ^-  W*'^S'"'"y'^  hiippened  at  ihe  election "    4,  6.    Vhat  was  dor^e  by  S»-Lal 
>    How  diu  he  alter  the  constitution  ? 

d 


I 


M 


FLIGHT   AND  EXILE  OF  MARIUb. 


ill 


\i7 


CHAPTER^LXXXIL^ 
Flight  and  Exile  of  Marius. 


1.  Sulpicius  was  betrayed  by  a  slave,  and  was  put  to  death 
Marius  es^^aped  in  the  night  to  Ostia,  where  one  of  his  friends  had 
piovided  a  vessel  for  him,  in  which  he  embarked  ;  but  a  storm  coming 
nn,  he  was  obliged  to  land  near  Circeii,  where,  as  he  and  his  com" 
panions  were  rambling  about,  some  herdsmen,  who  knew  him,  telling 
him  that  a  party  of  horse  had  just  been  seen  in  quest  of  him,  they 
got  into  a  wood,  where  they  passed  the  night  without  food. 

2  Next  morning  they  set  out  for  Minturna^,  but  on  turning  round 
they  saw  a  troop  of  horsemen  in  pursuit  of  them.  There  happened 
to  be  two  vessels  just  then  lying  close  in  to  the  shore,  and  they  ran 
and  got  aboard  of  them.  The  horsemen  came  to  the  water's  edge, 
and  called  out  to  the  crews  to  put  Marius  out ;  but  they  were  moved 
by  his  entreaties,  and,  refusing  to  deliver  him  up,  sailed  away. 
Afterwards,  reflecting  on  the  danger  they  were  incurring,  they  per- 
suaded him  to  land  at  the  mouth  of  the  Liris,  to  get  some  food  and 
repose,  and  while  he  was  lying  asleep  in  the  grass,  they  went  on 
board,  and  making  sail,  left  him  tr  his  fate. 

3.  Marius  rambled  about  the  marshes  till  he  reached  the  solitary 
hut  of  an  old  man,  whose  compassion  he  implored.  The  old  man  led 
him  away  into  the  marsh,  and  making  him  lie  down  in  a  hollow  spot 
near  the  river,  covered  him  with  sedge  and  rushes.  Presently 
Marius  heard  at  tlie  hut  the  voices  of  those  who  were  in  pursuit  of 
him,  and  fearing  lest  his  host  might  betray  him,  he  got  up,  and  went 
and  stood  up  to  his  neck  in  the  mud  and  water  of  the  marsh.  Here, 
however,  he  was  soon  discovered,  dragged  out,  naked  as  he  was,  led 
to  Minturn«,  and  placed  in  confinement. 

4.  The  authorities  there,  having  consulted  together,  resolved  to  put 
him  to  death,  and  a  Gallic  horseman  was  sent  to  despatch  him. 
The  Gaul,  when  he  approached  the  spot  where  he  was  lying  in  a 
dark  room,  was  daunted  by  the  fiery  glare  of  the  old  warrior's  eyes, 
and  when  he  rose  and  cried  with  a  tremendous  voice,  "  Dost  thou 
dare  to  slay  Caius  Marius?  "  he  rushed  out,  crying,  "  I  cannot  kill 
Caius  Marius."  The  magistrates  then  determined  not  to  have  the 
blood  of  so  great  a  man  on  their  heads  ;  they  gave  him  his  liberty, 
and  leading  him  to  the  coast,  put  him  on  bgard  of  a  vessel  to  pass 
over  to  Africa. 

5.  Marius  landed  at  Carthage  ;  but  presently  came  a  messenger 
from  C.  Sextilius,  the  governor  of  the  province,  ordering  him  to 
depart.  He  long  sat  in  silence,  looking  sternly  at  the  envoy,  and 
on  his  inquiry  of  what  reply  he  should  make  to  the  prajtor,  he 
gruaned  and  i}aid,  *'Tell  him  you  saw  Caius  Marius  sitting  an  exile 
amidst  the  ruins  of  Carthage."     He  then  retired  tj  the  little  isle 


LXXXII.  —  1.  \^  hat  became  of  Sulpicius  and  Ma'  tis?    2,  3,  4    Relate  the  advcK  art 
•f  MariuK  at  Mintu.T;8e     5.  His  reply  at  Carthage. 


J 12 


Ci.n     WAR  OF  MAKIUS  AND  Sl'LlA. 


of  Cercina,  where  he  was  joined  by  his  son  and  several  of  his  otl.e. 
friends,  and  lliey  remained  there  watching  the  course  of  events 


CHAPTER  fLXXXIIlJ 

4— — . — ^ — — «— 

Civil  War  of  Mariiis  and  Sulla, 


^x 


K 


\ 


X 


1  At  lenprth  Cinna,  a  partisan  of  Marius,  was  ciiosen  c<misii1.  a»)d 
called  upon  Sulla  to  answer  for  his  crimes.  Tlie  latter  quitted  Itome 
to  march  against  Mithridates,  and  Marius  was  recalled  from  Africa, 
where  he  had  lived  some  time  in  exile.  The  city,  however,  was  a 
prey  to  civil  discord,  B.  C.  87. 

2.  When  Marius  landed  in  Italy  he  was  surrounded  by  men  of 
ruined  fortunes,  and  slaves,  who  composed  a  formidable  army.     Cin 
na,  who  had  been  expelled  from  Rome  by  the  senate,  raised  another 
army  among  the  Italian  states.     Sertorius  headed  a  fourth,  and  Papi- 
rius  Carbo  a  fifth. 

3.  The  senate,  after  making  an  idle  attempt  at  resistance,  opened 
the  gates  to  the  combined  armies.  Marius  entered  Rome,  breathing 
brutal  vengeance  against  his  enemies.  A  guard  of  slaves,  which  he 
had  organized  to  execute  his  work  of  proscription,  received  orders  to 
massacre  every  person  whose  salute  he  did  not  return,  and  these 
bloody  instructions  were  executed  without  scruple. 

4.  Thus  privileged  to  murder  by  wholesale,  theses  ruffians  aban- 
•loned  themselves  to  every  dreadful  enormity,  and  at  length  Cinna 
ind  Sertorius  found  it  necessary  to  put  them  all  to  the  sword. 

5.  Marius,  Cinna  and  Carbo,  now  entered  into  a  confederacy  to 
outcher  all  the  senators,  who  were  the  objects  of  dislike  with  the 
:)opular  party.  A  horrible  slaughter  took  place ;  the  heads  of  the 
murdered  senators  were  stuck  upon  poles,  and  their  bodies  were 
dragged  into  the  forum,  to  be  devoured  by  the  dogs. 

6.  Sulla  was  declared  an  enemy  to  his  country,  and  his  house  was 
demolished.  After  desolating  the  city,  the  soldiers  of  Marius  dis- 
persed themselves  among  the  neighboring  towns  and  villages,  com- 
mitting acts  of  bloody  cruelty  which  have  not  been  surpassed  in  the 
darkest  periods  of  human  history. 

7.  While  Rome  was  sutfering  under  these  cruelties,  Sulla  was 
carrying  on  a  successful  war  against  Mithridates.  At  the  battle  of 
Chaeronea,  in  Greece,  he  defeated,  with  a  very  small  force,  the  Asiat- 
ic army  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men.  This  success 
struck  a  terror  into  his  enemies  at  Rome.  The  senate  despatched 
Flactuj,  the  consul,  and  Fimbria,  an  experienced  general,  with  an 
army  to  attack  Mithridates,  and  turn  their  arras  against  Sulla,  if  they 
found  him  disaffected  to  the  senate. 

8.  In  the  mean  time  Sulla  encountered  two  more  of  the  annies  of 
Mithridates,  in  Greece,  which  he  defeated  with  terrible  slaughter 


I. XXXIII.  —1,2.  What  of  Cinna,  Marina,  and  Sertorius  ?    3,  4.  What  of  iJie  ma.s3a- 
urn  •>(  Marius  ?  5  6.  What  of  the  confederacy  of  Marius,  Cinna,  and  Carbo  ?  7,  8.  WliaJ 


CIV  P.   WAR  OF  MARIUS  AND  SULLA. 


i]ti 


In  the  last  ol  these  ei  gagements,  twenty  thousand  men  were  driven 
into  a  river  and  drowned,  twenty  thousand  more  were  cut  to  pieces  in 

a  marsh. 

9.  Plutarc  i  states  that  the  marshes  were  dyed  with  blood,  that  the 
course  of  the  river  was  stopped  by  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  and  that 
m  his  own  time,  two  hundred  years  after  the  battle,  the  swords, 
Dows,  helmets,  and  coats  of  mail,  were  found  buried  in  the  sand. 

10.  Flaccus  and  Fimbria,  having  landed  in  Asia  Minor,  fell  into  a 
qiiarrel.  The  latter  gained  over  the  soldiery,  attacked  his  colleague, 
and  put  him  to  death.  He  then  assumed  the  command,  and  marched 
against  Mithridates.  He  defeated  the  king's  son,  and  compelled  him 
to  flee  to  Pergamus,  where  his  father  resided. 

11.  Fimbria  pursued  him  day  and  night,  and  entered  Pergamus 
sword  in  hand.  Mithridates  and  his  son  escaped  by  a  few  hours,  an(/ 
look  refuge  in  Pitane,  where  they  were  immediately  besieged  by  the 
Romans.  Fimbria,  having  no  ships  to  blockade  the  place  by  sea, 
ordered  Lucullus,  the  Roman  admiral,  to  hasten  to  Pitane  with  his 
fleet;  but  the  latter,  under  the  influence  of  private  pique,  refused 
and  thus  enabled  Mithridates  to  escape  with  his  ships  to  the  islanc 
of  Mitylene. 

12.  Fimbria,  however,  carried  on  the  war  in  Asia  Minor  wnth  suc- 
cess. He  reduced  most  of  the  large  cities,  and  at  length  Lucullus 
was  prevailed  upon  to  attack  the  fleet  of  Mithridates.  The  latter  was 
totally  defeated,  and  compelled  to  make  peace  on  terms  dictated  by 
the  Romans. 


/ 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 


Civil  War  of  Mariits  and  Sulla,  continued. 

1.  Sulla,  having  carried  everything  before  him  in  Greece  and 
Asia,  now  turned  his  anns  against  his  rival,  Fimbria.  The  latter, 
finding  himself  too  weak  to  prevail  by  force,  laid  a  plot  for  murder- 
ing his  antagonist ;  but  this  having  miscarried,  he  committed  suicide. 

2.  Thus  freed  from  all  his  enemies  in  Asia,  Sulla  raised  immense 
contributions  upon  the  provinces  which  he  had  conquered  ;  and  having 
in  this  manner  amassed  an  enormous  treasure,  he  turned  his  face  toward 
Rome,  first  transmitting  to  the  senate  a  full  account  of  his  victories, 
with  an  announcement  of  his  determination  to  take  full  revenge  upon 
his  foes  at  home. 

3.  This  intelligence  spread  consternation  throughout  Italy,  and 
Marius,  whose  doom  was  sealed  if  Sulla  returned,  abandoned  him- 
self to  intemperance,  which  soon  put  an  end  to  his  life. 

4.  The  senate  raised  an  army,  but  the  men  all  deserted  to  Sulla. 
The  people  hated  Cinna  and  Carbo,  who  were  now  consuls,  and  had 


What  of 
was  hfl 


of  the  war  against  Mithridates?    9.  What  story  is  related  by  Pkitarch?     10.  A 
Flaccus  and  Fimbria?     II.  What  of  the  flight  of  Mitliridates ?    12.  By  whom 

finally  co.inuered  ?  .  ^  ..         ,       /•  i  •      • 

LXXXIV  —  1.  What  of  Sulla  and  Fimbria?    2.  What  tise  did  Sulla  make  of  his  vio 
lories  ?    J    What  became  of  Marius  ?    4.  Whi    was  done  by  the  senate  ?    5.  What  buo 

8 


114 


DICTATORSHIP  OF  SULLA 


DICTATORSHIP  OF  SULLA. 


lU 


incurred  the  popular  odium  by  their  t>ranny  and  misg  vemment 
they  therefore  flocked  m  crowds  to  the  standard  of  Sulla  The  sen 
ate,  who  had  now  everything  to  fear,  made  an  appeal  to  the  compas 
sion  of  the  coiiqueror,  but  Sulla  persisted  in  the  declaration  that  hi« 
enemies  should  perish  either  by  the  sword  or  by  the  axe  of  the  execu 
tioner. 

5.  Numerous  armies  were  sent  against  him,  but  he  was  everywhere 
victorious.     Cinna  was  killed  in  a  tumult,  and  the  son  of  Marius, 
alter  beinnr  defeated,  fled  to  Pr^neste,  where  he  was  closely  besieged 
Civil  war  now  raged  in  all  its  horrors. 

6.  Telesinus  an  experienced  general  of  the  Samnites,  raised  an 
army  of  forty  thousand  men,  and  advanced  toward  Praeneste  under 
Uie  pretence  of  relieving  Marius.  Having  thus  drawn  the  troops  of 
feulla  away  from  Rome,  he  suddenly  wheeled  about  and  made  a  rapid 
march  by  night  toward  the  capital. 

7.  At  break  of  day  he  arrived  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  walls 
and  avowed  his  determination  to  put  to  the  sword  every  man  in  the 
city,  without  exception.     A  sally  was  made  against  him  without  suc- 
cess, and  bulla  himself  was  driven  back  to  his  camp 

8  Rome  was  now  on  the  very  verge  of  ruin.  Telesinus  advanced 
with  one  wing  of  his  army  to  storm  the  walls,  but  at  this  critical 
moment  a  Roman  force,  commanded  by  Crassus,  attacked  the  other 
wing  and  put  them  to  the  rout.  Telesinus  was  then  assailed  in  front 
and  flank,  and  utterly  defeated.  J) 


6 1  /  d 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

Dictatorship  of  Sulla, 

1.  Sulla  w^as  now  master  of  Italy.  On  his  march  to  Rome  he 
carried  eight  thousand  prisoners  from  Antemn«,  whom  he  delivered 
up  to  be  massacred  in  the  circus.  Twelve  thousand  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Praeneste  shared  the  same  fate.  The  people  of  Norba  ii 
Campania,  dreading  his  cruelty,  set  fire  to  their  houses  and  perished 
in  the  flames.  * 

2.  At  Rome,  a  general  proscription  of  the  enemies  of  Sulla  filled 
the  city  with  massacre  and  blood.  The  streets  were  literally  heaped 
up  with  dead  bodies;  and  when  a  grave  senator,  in  affright  at  these 
horrible  butcheries,  ventured  to  ask  the  bloodthirsty  tyrant  when  he 
designed  to  cease  from  the  slaughter  of  his  countrymen,  he  replied 
with  the  utmost  coolness,  that  he  would  take  the  subject  into  consid-' 
eration.  '' 

3.  Cato  the  Younger,  who  afterwards  became  so  celebrated  bv  his 
opposition  to  Julius  Cffisar,  and  his  suicide  at  Utica,  was  at  this 

^  time  about  thirteen  years  of  age.     One  day,  when  he  saw  the  head? 

who„'.t^:'¥;LsiLI\£tr/^^^^^^  ^  ^^^at  danger  now  threatened  Ro.e.    R, 

LXXXV.  -  1 .  What  of  Sulla's  cruelties  ?    2.  What  was  the  state  of  Vomfi  t    3,  wii« 


i:i  several  noble  Romans  exposed  to  the  public  \iew  after  having 
been  cut  off  *)y  order  of  Sulla,  he  was  so  inflamed  with  indignation 
It  the  sight,  that  lie  cned  out  to  his  teacher,  and  demanded  a  s'\o  J 
Vhat  he  might  kill  the  tyrant. 


Sulla 

4.  Nearly  five  thousand  ot  the  most  wealthy  and  eminent  men  in 
Rome  were  massacred  by  his  orders;  and  having  thus  to  a  certain 
extent  glutted  his  revenge,  he  caused  himself  to  be  proclaimed  per- 
petual dictator,  B.  C.  80.  Being  now  absolute  sovereign  of  Rome, 
he  annulled  every  law  which  stood  in  his  way,  and  governed  by  his 
own  will. 

5.  But  to  the  astonishment  of  all,  both  friends  and  enemies,  Sulla, 
after  exercising  the  supreme  power  only  two  years,  voluntarily  re- 
signed the  dictatorship,  and  withdrew  to  retirement  at  Puteoli.  This 
conduct  has  never  been  explained  ;  and  after  a  career  of  the  most 
horrible  tyranny  and  cruelty,  this  monster  was  allowed  to  pass  the 
remainder  of  his  life  undisturbed. 

6.  It  is  said  that  one  day  a  young  man  followed  him  home,  cursing 
and  reviling  him,  and  that  he  bore  it  patiently,  only  saying,  *'  That 


anecdote  is  related  of  Cato?  What  of  Sulla's  dictatorship/  4.  What  of  hi.s  abdica- 
tion ?  6.  What  anecdote  is  related  of  Sulla  ?  How  did  he  die  ?  6.  What  was  his  char- 
w  ter  7 


ii6 


THE  CILICIAN  PmATES. 


youth's  coiuluct  will  teach  another  dictator  not  to  lay  down  his  :ffir« 
80  readily."  He  afterwards  retired  to  Cumae,  where  he  spen  his 
time  in  wnting  his  memoirs,  in  hunting,  fishing,  drinking,  and  level- 
Img  with  players  and  musicians.  He  was  attacked  here  with  a  most 
.oathsome  disease,  of  which  he  died,  B.  C.  78. 

7.  Sulla  composed  his  own  epitaph,  the  purport  of  which  was, 
that  no  man  had  ever  exceeded  him  in  serving  his  friends  or  injuring 
his  enemies.  He  was  a  person,  doubtless,  of  great  talents,  both  as 
a  general  and  as  a  statesman  ;  but  never  did  a  more  ruthless  soul  ani- 
mate a  human  body,  than  his.  He  was  cruel,  less  from  natural  ferocity 
than  from  a  calm  contempt  of  humaiv  nature.  He  thoroughly  do 
spjscd  mankind,  and  was  therefore  an  aristocrat. 


V: 


CHAPTER  LXXXVL 

The  Cilician  Pirates. 

1.  The  jealousies  of  Pompey  and  Crassus,  the  two  most  powerfil 
men  in  Rome,  now  gave  rise  to  fresh  dissensions.  Pompey  was  the 
more  admired  for  his  personal  character,  but  Crassus  was  the  richest 
man  in  the  republic  ;  he  entertained  the  people  of  Rome  at  one  thou- 
sand tables,  distributed  com  to  the  poor,  and  fed  the  greater  part  of 
the  citizens  for  nearly  three  months. 

2.  Ponripey,  on  the  other  hand,  labored  to  repeal  the  unpopular 
laws  of  Sulla.  He  restored  to  the  knights  their  judicial  power,  and 
to  the  tribunes  all  their  former  privileges.  Both  were  chosen  con- 
suls, and  Pompey  signalized  his  administration  by  the  most  brilliant 
success  against  the  Cilician  pirates. 

3.  From  the  earliest  ages  the  Mediterranean  Sea  had  been  the  the- 
atre of  piracy,  a  profession  which  at  first  was  hardly  held  dishonora- 
ble. When  Athens  became  a  strong  naval  power,  the  pirates  of  the 
iEgean  Sea  were  suppressed.  The  Rhodians,  an  active  maritime 
people,  also  assisted  in  checking  the  practice ;  but  when  their  naval 
strength  had  been  reduced  by  the  supremacy  of  the  Romans,  piracy 
revived. 

4.  The  Cilicians  carried  on  their  system  of  robbing  at  sea  to  an 
extent  hardly  credible  ;  whole  towns  and  islands  were  engaged  in  it 
as  a  regular  occupation.  The  prisoners  taken  by  the "  pTrates  were 
sold  into  servitude  ;  and  these  marauders  supplied  a  large  slave  mar- 
ket in  the  island  of  Delos. 

5.  Their  ravages  were  committed  on  a  large  scale.  The  temples 
of  Samothrace,  Claros,  and  other  renowned  sanctuaries,  were  plun- 
dered ;  large  towns  on  the  coast  were  taken  and  sacked,  and  fleets 
of  pirates  ventured  even  to  the  columns  of  Hercules. 

C.  Italy  was  not  safe  from  their  insults.  They  surprised  the  towns 
upon  the  coast,  and  carried  off  the  Roman  senators  m\h  their  fami 


LXXX  7.-1,  2.  What  of  Pompey  and  Crassus?    3.  What  of  piracy  In  T'«  Medl- 
rranean?    4.  The  Cilicians?    5.  Their  piracies?    6.  How  did  ihey  distrws  Rf.niel 


THE  CIUCIAN  PIRATES. 


117 


lies,  gainii.g  large  sums  of  money  by  their  ranfeom.  The  fleets  with 
com  for  the  supply  of  the  city  were  intercepted,  and  Rome  was 
threatened  with  a  famine. 

7.  Fleets  and  armies  had  at  various  times  been  sent  against  the 
pirates,  but  without  success.  Publius  Servilius,  with  a  strong  squad- 
ron, dispersed  their  naval  armament,  captured  several  towns  on  the 
coast  of  Lycia,  and  subjugated  all  Isauria ;  but  he  had  hardly  re- 
turned to  Rome  when  the  sea  again  swarmed  with  pirates ;  and  such 
was  their  audacity,  that  they  laid  siege  to  the  city  of  Syracuse. 

8.  In  this  state  of  things,  the  tribune  Gabinius  proposed  that  one 
of  the  consuls  should  take  the  command  against  the  pirates,  and  bo 
>  3sted  with  absolute  power  for  three  years,  over  the  whole  Mediter 
ranean  and  its  coasts,  to  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  inland,  and  authority 
to  make  levies  and  take  money  out  of  the  treasury  at  his  pleasure. 

9.  Though  no  person  was  named, ^very  one  knew  that  Pompey  was 
meant  in  this  proposal.  The  aristocratic  party  exerted  themselves  to 
the  utmost  against  the  passage  of  the  law,  and  in  the  debates  which 
took  place  in  the  forum  such  a  clamor  was  raised,  that  a  crow,  which 
was  flying  over  the  place,  fell  down  stunned.  The  measure  was 
finally  carried,  and  Pompey  was  invested  with  the  command. 

10.  Such  was  the  general  confidence  in  his  talents,  that  the  price 
of  corn  immediately  fell  to  its  usual  level.  Pompey  did  not  disap- 
point these  favorable  anticipations.  He  sent  powerful  fleets,  well 
supplied  with  troops,  along  the  whole  coast  of  the  Mediterranean, 
which  soon  cleared  the  sea  of  the  pirates,  and  forced  them  to  take 
refuge  in  their  strong-  holds  in  Cilicia. 

11.  Pompey  pursued  them  to  that  country,  captured  all  their  ships, 
and  compelled  them  to  surrender  the  fortified  places  in  which  they 
had  taken  shelter  Thus,  within  the  space  of  a  few  months,  this  pow- 
erful band  of  marauders  was  completely  broken  up,  and  the  prisoners 
were  distributed  as  colonists  among  the  towns  of  Asia  Minor. 

12.  Pompey  then  undertook  the  management  of  the  war  against 
Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus,  who  had  been  driven  by  Lucullus,  i\\e 
Roman  general,  to  take  refuge  in  Armenia.  Pompey,  with  great 
ease  and  expedition,  subdued  Mithridates,  and  established  the  Roman 
dominion  over  the  greater  part  of  western  Asia. 

13.  But  while  he  was  thus  gathering  laurels  in  remote  regions, 
and  adding  large  territories  to  the  republic,  Rome  itself  narrowly  es- 
caped destruction  from  the  conspiracy  of  Catiline. 


,^^*"\^rmamenl3  were  sent  against  then)  ?  8.  What  pronosal  was  made  by  Gabini- 
u»7  9.  Wliat  was  the  consequence?  10.  What  was  the  confidence  of  the  IJomana  ii 
Fcropey  ?     1 1    What  was  his  success  ?     12.  What  of  the  war  against  Mithiidatea » 


lib 


CONSPIRACY  OF  CATILINE. 

chapter]  lxxxvij^ 

CoTispiracy  of  Catiline. 


Cicero  speaking  m  the  Senate  against  Catiline 

1.  Catiline  was  a  man  of  noble  birth,  sullied,  however,  by  ih* 
irost  disgraceful  debaucheries  and  infamous  crimes.  He  was  sing^u- 
larly  constituted,  both  by  art  and  nature,  for  intrigues  and  conspiracies. 
He  possessed  courage  equal  to  the  most  desperate  attempts,  and 
eloquence  which  gave  a  specious  color  to  the  most  dangerous  ambi- 
tion. 

2.  Ruined  in  his  fortune,  profligate  in  his  manners,  vigilant  and 
persevering  in  the  pursuit  of  his  aims,  he  was  insatiable  after  wealth, 
only  with  a  view  to  lavish  it  on  his  abandoned  pleasures.  Having 
contracted  immense  debts  by  his  extravagances,  he  resolved  to  extri- 
cate himself  by  any  means,  however  iniquitous. 

3.  He  had  collected  around  him  a  vast  number  of  persons  of  des- 
perate fortunes,  either  involved  in  bankruptcy  or  dreadinjr  the  punish- 
ment due  to  their  crimes  —  all,  in  fact,  who  had  anything  to  hoi)e  from 
a  revolution.  He  sought  by  every  means  to  inveigle  young  men  ot 
family,  and  for  this  purpose  spared  no  expense  to  gratify  their  vices. 
Some  of  the  first  men  in  Rome,  magistrates,  senators  and  knights, 
and  several  women  of  rank,  were  his  associates. 

4.  The  recent  examples  of  Marius  and  Sulla  stimulated  Catiline  to 
Ltiempt  making  himself  master  of  the  republic.  He  asf^^mbled  a 
tneetino-  of  his  most  trustworthy  associates,  and  opened  to  them  his 


LXXXVII.  —  1.  Who  was  Catiline  7  2.  What  were  his  character  a\u\  ilesisnis  ?  3.  Whc 
were  his  associatea  ?     t   What  did  he  projwse  to  ihem?    5.  How  .lid  ite  ronapiraion 


OVERTHROW  OF  CATILINE. 


119 


plan.  He  represented  them  as  the  most  oppressed  and  wretched  of 
mortals,  and  their  rulers  as  the  most  inexorable  tyrants ,  he  promised 
them,  in  case  of  his  success,  the  abolition  of  debts,  the  proscription  of 
the  wealthy,  and  rapine  and  plunder  for  all  his  friends. 

5.  The  conspiracy  was  agreed  upon,  and  it  is  said  that  the  con- 
spirators, before  they  separated,  bound  themselves  by  an  oath,  drink- 
ing human  blood  mingled  with  wine.  It  was  resolved  among  them 
♦hat  a  general  insurrection  should  be  raised  throughout  Italy,  the 
different  parts  of  which  were  assigned  to  different  leaders. 

6.  Rome  was  to  be  set  on  fire  in  several  places  at  once,  and  Cati- 
hne,  at  the  head  of  an  army  raised  in  Etruria,  was,  in  the  general 
oonfusion,  to  possess  himself  of  the  city,  and  massacre  all  the  sena- 
tors. Lentulus,  one  of  his  profligate  assistants,  who  had  been  a 
magistrate  in  the  city,  was  to  preside  in  their  general  councils. 

7.  Cethegus,  a  man  of  rank  and  influence,  but  who  was  carried 
away  by  the  wish  to  gratify  his  revenge  against  Cicero,  was  to  direct 
the  massacre  in  the  city,  and  Cassius  was  to  arrange  the  business  of 
setting  fire  to  the  houses. 

8.  The  great  obstacle  to  the  success  of  the  conspiracy,  was  the 
vigilance  of  Cicero,  who  was  now  consul,  and  had  raised  himself  to 
that  high  office  by  his  consummate  eloquence  and  skill  in  political 
affairs.  His  murder  was  deemed  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the 
undertaking. 

9.  Two  of  the  conspirators  undertook  this  task,  on  the  morning 
after  the  secret  conference.  Cicero,  how^ever,  had  previously  obtained 
a  knowledge  of  the  designs  of  Catiline.  By  the  instrumentality  of  a 
female  named  Fulvia,  he  had  bribed  Curius,  her  lover,  one  of  the 
conspirators,  and  thus  gained  intelligence  of  all  their  proceedings. 
Tlie  assassins  were  foiled  in  their  attempt. 

10.  While  the  whole  city  was  thrown  into  alarm  by  rumors  of  the 
danger,  Catiline  had  the  hardihood  to  present  himself  in  the  senate- 
house,  where  Cicero,  inflamed  with  indignation  at  the  sight  of  him, 
poured  forth  such  a  torrent  of  invective  upon  the  head  of  the  bold 
conspirator  that  he  was  overwhelmed  with  confusion  and  unable  t." 
reply. 

11.  The  whole  senate  cried  out,  calling  him  a  public  enemy  and  a 
parricide.  Catiline  then  flung  off  the  mask,  and  exclaimed  in  a  fury 
that  he  would  quench  the  flames  raised  around  him  ia-tke  ruins  of  hia 
country.     So  saying,  he  hastened' away.  I -^ * '  ^' 


?^^ ^-^ 

CHAPTEB   LXXXVni.,\ 

Overthrow  of  Catiline, 

1.  After  a  short  conference  with  Leniulus  and  Cethegus,  Catiline 
left   Rome   by  night  with  a  small  retinue,  and   proceeded   toward 

bind  themselvea 7  6.  What  was  their  plan?  7.  What  of  Cethegus  andCassiuf??  P 
What  obsincle  lay  in  their  way  ?  9.  How  did  Cicero  escape  assai-sinalion  ?  10.  Wli». 
•cene  took  place  at  '.he  senate-house  ?     U.  What  was  done  by  Catiline  3 


,0 


f  - 


120 


REBELLION  OF  SPARTACUS. 


Etruria,  where  Manlius,  one  of  the  conspirators,  was  raisinjr  on  annj 
to  support  him.  In  the  mean  time  Cicero  took  proper  measures  to 
secure  the  city. 

2.  Catiline's  associates  attempted  to  form  an  alliance  wit+i  the 
Allobroges,  a  people  of  Gaul,  who  had  sent  ambassadors  to  petition 
the  senate  for  some  relief  from  the  taxes  with  which  they  were 
oppressed.  These  ambassadors  betrayed  the  negotiations  to  Cicero, 
who  managed  the  matter  so  well  that  he  arrested  the  chiefs  of  the 
conspiracy  with  the  proofs  of  guilt  on  their  persons. 

3.  After  a  warm  debate  in  the  senate,  it  was  resolved  that  the 
traitors  should  be  put  to  death.  Julius  Caesar,  who  was  now  fast 
rising  into  notice  as  the  leader  of  the  popular  party,  stood  almost 
alone  in  protesting  against  the  dangerous  precedent  of  violating  the 
Porcian  law,  which  forbade  the  capital  punishment  of  a  Roman 
citizen. 

4.  Lentulus,  Cethegus  and  Cassius,  with  several  others,  were 
immediately  conveyed  to  the  Mamertine  prison  and  strangled.  Cati- 
line, in  the  mean  time,  had  raised  a  force  of  twelve  thousand  men  ;  but 
only  a  fourth  part  of  these  were  completely  armed  ;  the  rest  had  been 
furnished  with  such  weapons  as  chance  afforded  —  lances,  darts  and 
clubs. 

5.  Catiline  refused  at  first  to  enlist  the  slaves,  who  flocked  to  him 
in  great  numbers,  but  trusted  to  the  strength  of  the  conspiracy  in  the 
city.  But  on  the  approach  of  the  consul  Antonius,  who  was  sent 
with  an  army  against  him,  and  hearing  that  his  accomplices  in  Rome 
had  been  put  to  death,  he  became  convinced  that  his  cause  was 
ruined. 

6.  He  now  attempted  to  save  himself  by  rapid  marches  towards 
Gaul,  but  the  passes  of  the  Apennines  were  strongly  guarded  ;  the 
consular  army  approached,  and  he  was  hemmed  i^n  on  every  side. 
Catiline,  seeing  his  escape  cut  off,  resolved  to  give  battle  to  Antonius, 
and  the  armies  met  near  Pistoria. 

7.  The  conspiiators  fought  with  the  utmost  desperation,  but  were 
slain  to  a  man,  B.  C.  62.  The  suppression  of  this  conspiracy  was 
the  most  glorious  act  in  the  life  of  Cicero.  The  Romans  unani- 
mously declared  that  he  had  saved  the  republic,  and  the  senate 
bestowed  upon  him  the  honorable  title  of  Father  of  his  Country. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

Echellion  of  Spartactis. 


—■ i 


1.  Sertorius,  after  the  death  of  Marius  and  Cinna,  had  fled  to 
Spain,  where  he  established  an  independent  republic.     Pompey  and 


LXXXVIII.  —  L  What  measures  were  next  taken  by  Catiline  ami  Cicero?    2.  What 
of  the  Allobroges?    3.  What  took  place  in  the  senate  ?    4.  What  was  done  to  the  con 
epiraiors?     5.  What  preparations  were  made  hyCaiiline?     6.  How  did  be  attempt  IQ 
•scape?     7.  What  became  of  him  ?     What  title  did  the  Romans  bestow  uix)n  Cicero? 


THE  FIRST  TRIUMVIRATE. 


121 


Metellus  were  sent  against  him,  but  they  were  defeated  in  everp 
battle   although  they  were  esteemed  the  best  generals  of  the  a^e 

2.  Ihe  Romans  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  enterprise  Lainsi 
sertorius,  but  the  officers  of  this  general,  being  jealous  of  his  fame 
and  authority,  conspired  against  him  and  put  him  to  death.  The  loss 
of  their  able  general  was  the  ruin  of  the  Spanish  republic  ;  the  con- 
spirators,  destitute  of  talents,  were  unable  to  supply  the  place  of  Ser> 
tonus,  and  Pompey  was  soon  enabled  lo  establish  the  Roman  author- 
ity  in  opain. 

3.  About  this  period  Rome  was  disturbed  by  the  rebel- 
lion of  hpartacus.  This  person  was  originally  a  Thraeian  shepherd  • 
and  having  been  Drought  to  Rome  as  a  captive,  was  trained  up  for  one 
of  the  gladiators,  a  class  of  unhappy  wretches  whom  the  R(,mans 
employed  to  hght  and  murder  one  another  in  the  amphitheatre,  for 
tneir  amusement.  ' 

4.  Spariacus,  with  thirty  of  his  companions,  escaped  from  their 
confinement  at  Capua,  and  took  to  the  highway.     Their  numbers 
were  quickly  augmented  by  fugitives  and  desperadoes  of  every  sort 
and  bpartacus,  with  ten  thousand  men  under  his  command,  at  leno-th 
emerged  from  the  mountains  of  Campania,  and  began  to  lay  waste  the 

5.  His  army  increased  every  day,  and  became  so  well  disciplined 
as  to  defeat  two  Roman  consuls  who  were  sent  against  them.  The 
pranor  Crassus  was  then  placed  at  the  head  of  a  third  army.  Spar- 
tacus  at  first  obtamed  some  advantages  over  him,  and  Crassus  beo-an 
to  despair  of  success ;  but  at  length  the  Romans  gained  a  decisive 
victory,  U.  C.  /I,  and  put  to  the  sword  twelve  thousand  of  the 
gladiator  s  army. 

0.  Spartacus  fought  to  the  last;  when  wounded  in  the  lerrs,  he 

ought  upon  his  knees,  wielding  his  sword  in  one  hand  and    his 

buckler  in  the  other.     When  he  was  overpowered  by  an  irresistible 

force,  he  sunk  and  expired  upon  a  heap  of  Romans  who  had  fallen 

beneath  his  sword. 

7.  A  portion  of  the  army  of  Spartacus,  however,  rallied  after  luj. 
defeat,  and  being  routed  by  Pompey,  this  ambitious  leader  claimed  a 
^reat  portion  of  the  glory  which  was  due  to  Crassus. 


CHAPTER  pre: 


The  First  Triumcirate, 


1  1  HE  overthrow  of  Catiline  seemed  only  to  leave  an  open  theatre 
far  ilie  ambitious  projects  of  other  leaders.  Pompey  and  CrLsus 
had  for  some  time  been  jealous  of  each  other ;  burCalsar!  Zse 


iyn^^'^^^elZ^'^lst^'^^^^^^  '    WhowasSpartacu.? 

Wm?    6.  Deacr.1^  the  death  of  SpLrLcuJr7>hat^^^^^ 


If! 


122 


THE  FIRST  TRIUMVIRATE. 


JULIUS  CJESAK  IN  GAUL. 


lt>3 


abilities  were  now  known  and  valued,  resolved  to  turn  theii  rIva.Ty  U 

^' V'rhL  celebS^^^  descended  fiom  illustrious  ancestors, 

but  he  warmly  espoused  the  popular  interests  at  his  first  entrance  mtu 
nubli^Tfe  Shortly  after  the  death  of  Sulla,  he  procured  the  recall 
Tf  those  whom  the  dictator  had  banished.  By  acts  similar  to  this 
h<»  Kpcame  a  favorite  with  the  people. 

^%^"'^^,l^eonsummate  skill  he  applied  himself  to  the  task  of  racou 
cilinff  Pompey  and  Crassus,  knowing  that  the  result  would  be  favora^ 
We  to  his  own  elevation.     He  succeeded  so  well  that  he  persuade, 
them  to  forcTct  all  their  old  animosities,  and  combine  with  himscll  in  a 
Bcherae  for'dividinjr  the  command  of  the  republic  between  tliem. 


t»iiie«-i«»»'»'' 


CoBsar.  Crassus  and  Pompey,  dividing  the  Republic 


4  They  atrreod  that  nothing  should  be  done  m  the  commonwealth 
without  their"  mutual  concurrence.  This  union  was  called  the  lirsi 
Triumvirate,  which  was  established  B.  C.  59.  They  were  supported 
in  their  project  by  Clodius,  a  man  of  profligate  character,  but  possess- 
incr  influence  with  the  people.  His  chief  object,  on  this  occiision, 
was  to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  Cicero,  for  having  given  evidence 
ao-ainst  him  on  a  criminal  trial. 

"^5  To  do  this  more  effectually,  Clodius  caused  himself  to  l>e  fans- 
ferred  from  the  patrician  to  the  plebeian  order,  and  then  becoming  a 
.-mdidate  for  the  tribunesbip,  was  elected  without  much  opposition. 
iiv  the  exertions  of  Clodius,  a  decree  of  banishment  was  pronouncetl 
a-rainst  Cicero ;  but  the  great  orator  was  honorably  recalled  at  tlie 
elid  of  a  year,  and  restored  to  his  dignity  anrt  estates. 

"^JTZT'what  followed  the  overthrow  ..f  Catiline?  2./Vyhat  of  Jnliu.  Crpsar J  ^ 
How  did  he  .nanaire  Pornpey  and  Crassus?  4.  What  of  the  t  .rst  TnumvuatelS 
Wtot  was  done  b>  CLnlins?  What  happened  to  Cicerol  b.  How  U.d  ihe  cc«^ 
lifide  Ihjir  government  ?    7.  What  of  Gaul  ? 


6.  While  Clodius  by  his  violence  kept  the  city  in  constant  agita- 
rion.  Fompey  and  Crassus  were  again  elected  consuls  torreiher  The 
former  chose  Spain  for  his  province,  tb  latter  Syria,  hoping  that  ii«* 
wraith  would  afl'ord  a  prey  to  his  bounG...ss  avarice. 

7.  Gaul  was  allotted  to  Caesar.  This  country  was  peopled  bv 
h3rce  and  powerful  nations,  most  of  them  unsubdued,  and  ilie 
remainder  only  under  a  nominal  subjection  to  Rome.  As  this  was  an 
appointment  rather  to  a  conquest  than  to  an  administration,  the  ffovern- 
men.  was  granted  him  for  five  years,  as  if  by  its  length  to  ccmpensate 
lor  Its  danirer.  y^—  '^ 

CHAPTER  YXCL\ 

Julius  CcBsar  in  Gaul. 

1.  CiEs^R's  victorious  career  in  Gaul  lasted  nearly  eicrht  years 
but  it  would  be  impossible,  within  the  limits  of  tliis  history  ,"to  enume- 
rate tlie  battles  which  lie  fought  and  the  slates  he  subdued  durinrr 
this   period.     He  first   marched   against   the  Helvetians,  whom  h? 
defeated,   killing  nearly  two  hundred    thousand  oT  them  in   battle 
1  he  Germans,  commanded  by  their  king,  Ariovistus,  were  next  cut 

olf,  with  the  loss  of  eighty  thousand  m-n,  their  monarch  himself  nar- 
rowly escaping  in  a  little  boat  across  the  Rliine. 

2.  The  Belgj^  next  encountered  the  Roman  arms,  and  received  so 
terrible  an  overthrow  that  the  rivers  and  marshes  were  choked  and 
heaped  up  by  the  piles  of  the  slain.  The  Nervians,  who  were  the 
most  warlike  of  those  barbarous  nations,  defended  themselves  valiantly 
for  a  short  time.  ^ 

3  In  one  battle  the  Romans  were  in  danger  of  being  utterly  routed 
but  Cicsar,  hastily  snatching  up  a  buckler,  rushed  through  his  troops 
into  the  midst  of  the  enemy,  and  turned  the  fortune  of'^the  day,  the 
barbarians  being  repulsed  with  a  terrible  carnage.  The  Celtic  Gauls 
were  next  brought  under  subjection,  and  after  these  all  the  Gallic 
nations  from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  British  Channel. 

4.  Stimulated  by  the  desire  of  further  conquest,  Caesar  crossed  over 
into  Britain,  B.  C.  54,  alleging  as  an  excuse  for  the  invasion,  that  ihe 
inhabitants  had  furnished  supplies  to  his  enemies.  A  report  of  a 
pearl-fishery  on  the  Ikitish  shores  is  supposed  to  have  supplied  a 
stronger  motive  to  his  avarice. 

5.  On  approaching  the  coast,  near  Dover  clifTs,  he  found  them 
covered  with  armed  men  ;   and  sailing  along  a  few  miles  further,  he 

anded  at    Deal,   though  vigorously   opposed   by  the    natives.       At 
length,  terrified  at  Caesar's  power,  they  sent  to  sue  for  peace 

().  Some  hostages  had  been  given,  when  a  spring  tide  suddenly 
damaged  the  Roman  fleet,  and  the  Britons  resolved  to  try  the  chanco 
ol  a  battle.      1  hey  attacked  one  of  the  legions  while  it  Was  foraging, 


r.r?^*'7"'-  ^^^^  of  Cffisar's  success  In  Gaul?    2,3    The  Belt'fE  and   NVrviana'    a 
WThatoflhe  invasion  of  Britain?    5.  Wlierc  did  C^^fland?    ^What  im,!«,^^l    i 


12i 


PARTHIAN  EXPEDITION  OF  CRASSUS. 


DISASl'ERS  OF  CRASSUS. 


12© 


and  Caesar  had  some  difficulty  in  saving  it.     They  next  assailed  the 
Roman  camp,  but  were  repulsed. 

7.  Caesar,  who  had  neither  cavalry  nor  provisions,  thought  it  best 
to  return  to  Gaul,  and  readily  made  peace  with  the  Britons';  he  then 
departed,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  senate,  giving  an  account  of  what 
he  called  his  victory  in  Britain ;  for  this  a  thanksgiving  was  decreed 
at  Rome. 

8.  The  following  year  he  invaded  Britain  a  second  time,  with  a 
much  stronger  force.  He  fought  several  battles  with  the  natives, 
defeated  their  king,  Cassibelan,  crossed  the  Thames,  and  captured 
his  chief  town.  The  Britons,  however,  were  far  behind  the  Gauls 
in  civilization,  and  their  towns  were  nothing  more  than  fortresses  in 
the  woods,  without  walls  ;  their  houses  were  mere  wigwams. 

9.  Having  regulated  the  tributes  to  be  paid  by  the  conquered 
tribes,  he  returned  to  Gaul.  The  tributes,  however,  were  never  paid, 
and  the  Romans  gained  nothing  by  the  invasion  except  some  little 
knowledge  of  the  island. 

10.  The  conquest  of  Gaul  was  completed  B.  C.  50.  Csesar 
established  a  system  of  administration  for  the  country,  imposing  upon 
it  an  atmual  tribute  ;  and  having  thus  secured  it  under  the  Roman 
dominion,  he  prepared  to  carry  out  his  ambitious  designs  by  seizing 
upon  the  sovereignty  of  the  republic  for  which  he  h'ad  made  this 
acquisition. 

11.  The  military  talent  displayed  by  Caesar,  in  the  subjugation  of 
Gaul,  is  sufficient  to  place  him  in  the  first  rank  of  generals.  But  we 
must  bear  in  mind  tliat  in  this  brilliant  achievement,  nations  were 
robbed  and  innocent  people  were  slaughtered  without  mercy,  that  the 
renown  of  many  victories  might  pave  the  way  to  the  overthrow  of  the 
liberties  of  Rome. 

12.  We  are  told  that  Caesar  captured  eight  hundred  towns  and 
cities,  subdued  three  hundred  nations,  and  defeated  in  battle  three  mil- 
lions of  men,  of  whom  one  million  were  slain,  and  another  million 
taken  and  sold  for  slaves.  All  this  misery  was  inflicted  that  one  man 
might  be  great ! 


CHAPTER   XCn. 
Parthian  Expedition  of  Crassus. 

1.  Crasaus,  on  taking  possession  of  his  province,  proiected  an 
expedition  against  the  Parthians,  hoping  to  enrich  himself  by  the 
plunder  of  that  people.  He  crossed  the  Euphrates  with  a  large 
army,  and  began  to  ravage  Mesopotamia.  Several  of  the  Greek 
tow.-.s  in  that  quarter  submitted  without  opposition,  but  instead  of 
pushing  his  conquests  without  delay,  Crassus  returned  to  Syria  to 

Romans?    '7.  What   was  tlie   result  of  this   invasion?    8.  When   was  the  invasion 
repeated  ?     What  was  its  success?    9.  What  did  the  Romans  gain  by  their  invaaionsi 
10    Whit  of  the  conquest  of  Gaul  ?    What  did  Cajsar  next  prepare?     11,  12.  Wl««i  wu 
*•«  character  of  his  wars  in  Ga-il  ? 


\ 


pass  tne    winttr,  thus  giving  the  Parthians  leisure  to  collect  theii 
forced 

2.  He  spent  the  time  here  in  amassing  money.  A  Parthian 
embassy  came  to  complain  of  his  acts  of  aggression,  as  their  nation 
had  given  the  Romans  no  just  cause  for  war.  Crassus  boastful  y 
replied,  that  he  would  give  his  answer  in  Seleucia,  a  suburb  of 
Ctesiphon,  the  Parthian  capitol.  The  eldest  of  the  envoys  laughei, 
and  showing  the  palm  of  his  hand,  said,  "  Crassus,  hairs  will  grow 
there  before  you  see  Seleucia." 

3.  The  Roman  soldiers,  when  they  learned  the  numbers  of  the 
Parthians,  and  their  mode  of  fighting,  were  dispirited.  The  sooth- 
sayers announced  evil  signs  in  the  victims.  The  officers  of  Crassus 
advised  him  to  pause  before  deciding  upon  this  dangerous  under- 
taking, but  in  vain. 

4.  To  as  little  eflfect  did  the  Armenian  prince,  Artabazus,  counsel 
him  to  march  through  Armenia,  which  was  a  mountainous  country, 
and  unfavorable  to  cavalry,  in  which  the  strength  of  the  Parthians 
lay.  He  replied  that  he  would  go  through  Mesopotamia,  where  he 
had  left  many  brave  Romans  in  garrison. 

5.  The  Armenian,  who  brought  six  thousand  horse  to  join  Crassus, 
and  had  promised  as  many  more,  saw  the  desperate  character  of  the 
undertaking,  and  retired.  Crassus  passed  the  Euphrates  at  Zeugma. 
The  thunder  roared,  lightnings  flashed,  and  other  ominous  signs 
appeared,  but  nothing  could  stop  him. 

6.  He  took  his  march  along  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river.  No 
enemy  appeared,  and  Cassius,  one  of  his  officers,  advised  to  keep  on 
the  borders  of  the  stream  till  they  should  reach  the  point  nearest 
Seleucia ;  but  an  Arab  emir,  named  Akbar,  who  had  been  on  friendly 
terms  with  the  Romans  when  Pompey  was  there,  joined  Crassus,  and 
assured  him  that  the  Parthians  were  collecting  their  most  valuable 
property  with  the  intention  of  flying  to  Hyrcania  and  Scythia ;  for 
which  reason  he  urged  him  to  push  on  without  delay. 

7.  This  account  was  false,  and  designed  to  lead  the  Romans  to 
their  ruin.  Crassus,  however,  trusting  to  the  deceitful  Arab,  left  tlie 
river,  and  entered  on  the  wide  plain  of  Mesopotamia.  The  Arab  led 
the  way,  and  when  he  had  brought  the  Roman  army  to  the  place 
agreed  on  with  the  Parthians,  he  rode  off,  assuring  Crassus  that  it 
was  for  his  advantage. 


CHAPTER   XCHI. 
Disasters  of  Crassus. 


1.  The  Romans  now  began  to  discover  signs  of  treachery,  for  or 
the  same  day  a  party  of  horse  sent  forward  to  reconnoitre  fell  in  with 

XCII.  —  1    What  expedition  was  planned  by  Crassus?    How  did  he  commence  it  I 
2.  Wlial  of  the  Parthian  embassy  ?    3.  What  of  the  soldiers  and  soothsayers?    4.  What 
of  Artabazus?    5.  What  of  the  passage'"'   he  Euphrates?    6,  Itf  Cassius  and  Akbar 
*.  How  was  Crassus  deceived? 

11* 


126 


DISASTERS  OF  CRASSUS. 


the  enemy,  and  were  nearly  all  killed.  Crassus  was  perplcx(;d,  bnl 
Bill  marched  on,  drawing:  up  his  infantry  in  a  square,  with  his  cav- 
alry on  llie  flanks.  They  reached  a  stream,  where  his  officers  wished 
hiiu  to  halt  for  the  nitjht  and  try  to  ^n'm  further  intelligence,  but  he 
persisted  in  advancinir,  and  at  len«Tth  came  in  sij^ht  of  the  enemy. 

2.  The  Parthian  commander,  however,  kept  tlie  (rreater  part  of  his 
forces  out  of  view,  and  those  who  appeared  had  th(;ir  armor  covered 
to  deceive  the  Romans.  On  a  given  signal  the  Partliians  began  to 
heat  their  kettle-drums,  and  when  they  thought  this  unusual  sound 
had  struck  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  Romans,  they  flung  off  their 
coverings,  and  appeared  glittering  in  helms  and  corslets  of  steel. 

3.  Then,  pouring  in  multitudes  round  the  solid  mass  of  the  Roman 
army,  they  discharged  showers  of  arrows  upon  them,  camels  being  at 
hand  laden  with  fresh  supplies  of  missiles.  The  Roman  light  troops 
essayed  in  vain  to  drive  them  off,  and  Crassus  ordered  liis  son  to 
charge  them  with  a  body  of  cavalry. 

4.  The  Parthians  gave  way  and 'drew  them  on,  but  when  at  a  suf- 
ficient distance  from  the  main  army,  they  turned  upon  their  pursuers, 
riding  round  and  round,  raising  such  a  dust  that  the  Romans  could 
not  see  to  defend  themselves.  Great  numbers  were  slain,  and  at 
length  young  Crassus  broke  through  the  enemy  with  a  party  of 
horsemen,  and  reached  the  top  of  a  hill. 

5.  There  the  Parthians  again  surrounded  him;  and  at  length, 
being  wounded  and  seeing  no  hope  of  escape,  he  caused  his  shield- 
bearer  to  kill  him.  The  Parthians  cut  off  his  head,  and  stuck  it  on 
the  point  of  a  spear.  Crassus  was  advancing  to  the  relief  of  his  son, 
when  he  heard  the  roll  of  the  Parthian  drums,  and  presently  saw  the 
enemy  with  the  bloody  head  elevated  in  the  air. 

6.  The  Romans  were  struck  with  consternation  at  the  sight. 
Crassus  vainly  tried  to  encourage  them,  crying  out  that  the  loss  was 
hiss,  not  theirs.  All  day  the  Parthians  hung  upon  their  front  and 
flanks,  galling  them  with  clouds  of  arrows.  At  night  they  withdrew, 
and  Crassua  now  began  to  give  way  to  despair. 

7.  A  council  of  war  was  held,  and  it  was  resolved  to  retreat 
under  cloud  of  the  darkness.  This  was  immediately  carried  into 
effect,  but  the  wailings  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  who  were  left 
behind,  informed  the  Parthians  of  tlie  movement.  However,  as  it 
was  not  their  custom  to   fight   by  night,   they  remained   quiet  till 


mornmg. 


JCCIIl.  —  I    What  (lisaste   first  befell  ihe  army  of  Crassus  ?    2,  3,  4.  How  did  the  Par 
iniims  attack  the  Jioniaiis      5.  What  of  ilio  de^ilh  of  young  ^.nusvjB?    6.  'What  wai 
lij  coriJuc  of  hU  father  ]         What  of  ihe  retreat  of  ibe  Fjotna"    ) 


DEATH  OF  CRASSUS. 


127 


CHAPTER   XCIV. 

Death  of  Crassus. 

1.  The  next  morning  the  Parthians  took  possession  of  the  deseited 
camp,  slaughtering  four  thousand  men  whom  they  found  in  it;  they 
then  pursued  the  retreating  army,  and  cut  off  the  stragglers.  Tlie 
Romans  succeeded  in  reaching  the  town  of  Carrhai,  where  they  had 
a  garrison.  The  Parthian  commander,  to  gain  time,  made  proposals 
of  peace,  but  after  a  while  it  appeared  that  he  was  insincere,  and 
Crassus  marched  away  from  Carrhae  m  the  night,  under  the  guidance 

of  a  Greek. 

2.  This  guide  proved  treacherous,  and  led  the  army  into  a  place 
full  of  marshes  and  ditches.  Cassius,  who  had  distrusted  him  in 
season,  turned  back  and  saved  himsej|pwritli  a  body  of  five  hundred 
cavalry.  Octavius,  the  second  in  command,  having  had  faithful 
guides,  secured  a  position  among  sohie  mils,  with  his  division  of  five 
thousand  men,  and  enabled  Crassus  to  escape  from  the  marshes,  after 
ho  had  been  assailed  in  that  dangerous  position  by  the  Parthians. 

3.  The  latter  now,  apprehensive  that  the  Romans  would  save 
themselves  in  the  night,  released  some  of  their  prisoners,  declaring 
that  their  king  did  not  wish  to  carry  matters  to  extremities.  Fur- 
ther to  promote  this  stratagem,  the  commander,  with  a  number  of 
his  officers,  rode  to  the  hill  where  Crassus  was  stationed,  with  their 
bows  unbent,  and  the  commander,  holding  out  his  hand,  called  on 
Crassus  to  come  down  and  meet  him. 

4.  The  Roman  soldiers  were  overjoyed  at  these  signs  of  amity, 
but  Crassus  put  no  faith  in  them.  At  length,  after  urging  and 
pressing,  they  began  to  abuse  and  threaten  him.  Crassus  then  took 
his  officers  to  witness  the  force  that  was  put  on  him,  and  went  down, 
accompanied  by  Octavius,  and  some  of  his  other  officers. 

5.  The  Parthians  at  first  alTected  to  receive  him  with  respect,  and 
brought  a  horse  for  him  to  mount ;  but  they  soon  contrived  to  pick  a 
(juar/el  with  their  prisoners,  and  killed  them  all  on  the  spot.  Quarter 
w?s  then  offered  to  the  troops,  and  most  of  them  surrendered. 

6.  Twenty  thousand  of  the  Romans  were  killed  and  ten  thousand 
made  prisoners  in  this  disastrous  expedition,  which  was  undertaken 
from  the  basest  and  most  sordid  motives,  without  a  shadow  of  justice 
The  Parthians,  it  is  said,  poured  melted  gold  down  the  throat  of 
Crassus,  after  having  cut  off"  his  liead,  in  reproach  of  his  insatiacs 
avarice. 


XCIV.—  I.  What  of  tl>e  Roman  camp  and  army?  2.  How  was  Crassus  betrayed? 
What  of  Cassius  and  Octavius?  3.  What  stratagem  was  practised  by  the  Partliians  1 
I.  How  did  they  succeed?  5.  What  of  the  death  of  Crassus?  G.  What  was  the  loss  cf 
liie  iioiaans  in  this  war?    How  did  the  Parthians  serve  the  dead  body  of  Crassus  ? 


128 


RIVALRY  OF  POMPEY  AND  C^SAK. 


CHAPTER  \XCV. 


Rivalry  of  Pompey  and  Ccesar, 


Pompey 

1.  When  the  news  of  the  defeat  and  death  of  Crassils  reached 
Rome,  the  disaster  to  the  national  arms  caused  immense  grief  and 
mortification.     The  loss  o    the  general  gave  the  people  no  concern 
yet  this  was  in  reality  th»  greater  misfortune  of  the  two,  for  he  alone 
had  the  power  to  keep  Caesar  and  Pompey  in  friendship. 

2.  The  removal  of  Crassus  now  left  in  the  Roman  world  only  these 
two  competitors  for  the  sovereign  power,  so  far  superior  were  they  in 
weight  and  influence  to  all  other  men.  There  were  at  this  time  in 
the  repuhlic  two  parties,  one  for  maintaining  the  constitution  as  it 
ihcn  was,  the  other  for  revolution.  It  was  hardly  possihle,  therefore, 
to  avoid  a  civil  contest,  in  which  the  two  parties  should  range  them- 
selves in  opposition  under  these  two  eminent  men. 

3.  Pompey  at  first  favored  all  the  projects  of  Caesar,  and  i)rocurc(l 
liim  a  prolongation  of  his  conunand,  and  supplies  of  troop*?.     Hut 


XCV.  —  1.  How  did  the  disaster  of  Crassus  affef    the  Romans?     2.  Whal  was  the 
*tale  of  parlies  at  Rome?    3,4.  Whal  of  the  rivalr     )f  Pomjiey  and  Caisar  ?     ^.  Whal 


CIVIL  WAR. 


120 


he  soon  bec3  lie  envious  of  exploits  that  obscured  the  fame  of  hid 
own  achieven  ems.  His  partisans  began  to  detract  from  the  brilliant 
character  of  Caesar's  victories,  and  many  of  that  general's  official  Ic^t- 
'«rs  were  suppressed  by  the  senate. 

4.  It  soon  became  obvious  that  the  jealousies  of  these  great  rivals 
could  be  settled  only  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  their  adherents  began 
to  prei)are  for  the  combat  long  before  the  principals  had  any  decided 
inclination  to  commence  hostilities.  When  Caesar  became  aware  of 
the  proceedings  against  him,  he  demanded  permission  to  hold  the 
consulship  while  absent,  together  with  a  prolongation  of  his  govern- 
iryent  in  Gaul. 

5.  This  was  done  for  the  purpose  of  trying  whether  Pompey  '^ould 
openly  oppose  him.  The  latter  remained  apparently  inactive,  but  he 
secretly  employed  two  of  his  partisans,  who  maintained  in  the  senate 
that  the  laws  did  not  permit  any  one  absent  to  stand  as  a  candidate 
for  the  office  of  consul. 

6.  Caesar  well  knew  that  there  was  no  safety  for  him  except  at  the 
head  of  his  army,  for  Cato  and  others  had  already  threatened  to 
impeach  him  for  illegal  acts  done  in  his  consulate  ;  he  therefore  chose 
to  remain  in  Gaul  till  matters  were  further  advanced. 

7.  He  dismissed  two  of  his  legions  which  the  senate  ordered  home, 
having  previously  attached  both  officers  and  soldiers  to  his  mterest  by 
bounties.  He  further  strengthened  his  party  at  Rome  by  Uvishing 
bribes  in  great  profusion,  particularly  on  Caius  Curio,  a  tribun**  of  the 
jnXjple,  who  had  great  influence  in  various  ways. 


CHAPTER  VXCVI. 


Civil  War, 


1.  The  senate,  wlio  were  now  devoted  to  Pompey,  passed  a  decree 
recalling  Caesar  from  his  government.  But  Curio  placed  an  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  this  movement,  by  proposing  that  Pompey  and  Capsar 
should  both  lay  down  their  offices.  The  apparent  fairness  and 
impartiality  of  the  proposal  threw  Pompey  and  his  party  into  gr*iat 
perplexity.     Some  time  was  wasted  in  debates  and  negotiations. 

2.  Pompey  was  as  eager  for  war  as  Caesar  possibly  could  be.  7'he 
joy  manifested  by  the  people  on  the  occasion  of  his  recovery  from  an 
illness  gave  him  the  most  exaggerated  notion  of  his  influence  o^er 
them.  He  was  moreover  completely  misled  by  the  accounts  which 
he  had  received  of  the  disaffiiction  of  Caesar's  army,  and  the  prov- 
inces. 

3.  He  therefore  derided  the  fears  of  his  friends,  who  dreaded 
Caesar's  power  ;  and  when  it  was  remarked  that  there  were  no  troops 
in   Italy  to  oppose  him,  he  replied,  "  Wherever  I  stamp  my  foo*, 


took  place  in  the  senate?    6.  What  course  was  taken  by  Caesar?     7.  How  dil  h< 
ttrenethen  his  parly? 
XCVI.  —  I.  What   was  done  by  Curio?     2,3.  What  of  Pompey 's  exfwctatioai 

9 

« 


.30 


CIVIL   WAR. 


legions  will  sprino  up!"     The  senate  at  length  declared  Caesar  a 
public  enemy,  in  case  he  did  not  give  up  his  command  by  a  certain 

day. 

4.  It  was  resolved  that  troops  should  be  raised  in  every  part  of 
Italy,  and  that  Pompey  should  be  suppHed  with  money  from  tlie  pub- 
lic "treasury.  War,  in  fact,  was  declared  against  Caesar.  Antony 
and  Cassius,  disguised  as  slaves,  left  Rome  secretly  and  joined 
CiKsar,  who  had  by  this  time  entered  the  north  of  Italy,  and  was  at 
Ravenna  with  one  of  his  legions. 

5.  Caesar  forthwith  assembled  his  soldiers,  and  complained  to  them 
of  the  treatment  he  had  received  from  the  senate.  The  army  having 
declared  its  resolution  to  stand  by  him,  he  sent  off  orders  to  his 
^eJ^ates  in  Gaul  to  join  him  by  forced  marches  with  all  their  troops. 
He  then  took  up  his  march  for  Rome. 


CcBsar  at  the  Rubiron 

6.  On  reaching  i..'  Rubicon,  a  little  stream  flowing  into  tht 
AdriAtic,  near  the  modern  city  of  Rimini,  he  halted.  The  Romans 
hod  ever  been  taught  to  regard  this  river  as  the  sacred  boundary  of 
Iheir  domestic  empire,  and  Caesar  was  arrested  upon  its  banks  by  an 
impression  of  terror  at  the  greatness  and  audacity  of  his  enterprise. 

7.  He  could  not  pass  it  without  transgressing  the  laws ;  he  there- 
fore pondered  for  some  time  in  fixed  melancholy,  looking  earnestly 
upon  the  stream,  and  debating  w  th  himself  whether  he  should  ven- 
ture to  j)rofane  it.  "  If  I  pass  ;his  river,"  said  he,  "  what  miseries 
shall  1  bring  u})on  my  country  !  And  if  I  stop  short,  1  am  undone  !" 
Ai  length,  yielding  to  a  sudden  impulse,  he  exclaimed,  '*  Let  the  die 
be  cast !"  and  spurred  his  horse  into  the  stream. 


4.  What  wer«  the  p  laiis  of  his  p^rt)  ? 
ii  the  Rubicon  ? 


r.  CsB;3ar's  first  movements  7    6        M<8  conducl 


ri-iUHT  OF  P03iFEY  FROM  ROMfc. 


131 


CHAPTER   XCVII. 

Flight  of  Pompey  from  Rome. 

1 .  The  news  that  Caesar  had  passed  the  Rubicon  with  his  army 
caused  the  greatest  consternation  at  Rome,  where  it  was  believed  the 
conqueror  of  Gaul  meditated  a  general  massacre.  The  citizens  fled 
into  the  country  for  safety,  while  the  country  people  flocked  to  the 
city  for  the  same  purpose. 

2.  Pompey  was  overwhelmed  with  confusion.  "  Where  is  now," 
asked  Favonius,  a  sarcastic  senator  of  his  party,  "  the  army  that  was 
to  rise  out  of  the  earth  at  your  bidding  ?  Let  us  see  if  it  will  appear 
at  the  stamp  of  your  foot."  Pompey,  in  fact,  was  completely 
deceived  in  his  expectations  of  the  public  spirit  of  the  people. 

3.  His  troops  were  all  deserting  to  Caesar;  the  lower  orders  of  the 
people  were  either  favorable  to  the  latter  or  wished  for  a  change,  and 
it  was  evident  that  Italy  could  not  be  defended  against  him.     The 
senate,  therefore,  and  all  Pompey's  partisans  abandoned  Rome,  leav 
ing  the  public  treasury  with  an  enormous  sum  of  money  in  it  un- 

^j^touched. 

4.  All  Italy  was  subdued  by  Caesar  in  sixty  days,  and  Pompev 
sailed  from  Brundusium  for  Greece,  abandoning  his  country  to  his 
rival.  Sicily  and  Sardinia  speedily  followed  the  fate  of  the  peninsula. 
Elated  by  this  rapid  success,  Caisar  returned  to  Rome,  where  the 
tribune  Metellus  making  some  remonstrance  against  his  proceedings 
as  contrary  to  the  laws,  Caesar  told  him  that  it  was  no  time  to  talk 
of  laws,  but  that  all  must  obey  him. 

5.  He  then  went  to  the  public  treasury ;  the  keys  were  not  to  be 
found,  and  a  smith  was  sent  for  to  break  open  the  door.  Metellu? 
again  interjmsed,  but  Caesar  threatened  to  put  him  to  death,  saving. 
'*  Know,  young  man,  that  it  is  easier  to  do  than  to  say."  Caesa^ 
having  broken  open  the  treasury,  took  out  all  the  money,  and  even 
the  most  sacred  deposits. 

6.  After  a  stay  of  six  or  seven  days  in  Rome,  he  departed  to  attack 
Pompey's  lieutenants  in  Spain  and  Gaul,  He  met  with  unexpected 
resistance  from  the  city  of  Marseilles,  but  leaving  a  detachment  to 
besiege  the  place,  he  continued  his  march  to  Ilerda,  where  he  found 
his  enemies  posted  under  the  command  of  Afranius  and  Petreius. 

7.  An  indecisive  battle  was  fought  here,  but  Ca?sar,  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  incapacity  of  his  opponents,  soon  reduced  them  to  such 
fctraits  that  they  were  forced  to  surrender  at  discretion.  The  reduc- 
tion of  the  remainder  of  the  Spanish  peninsula  was  soon  accom- 
plished, and  Csesar  returned  to  finish  the  siege  of  Marseilles.  His 
nresencc  soon  forced  the  citizens  to  surrender ;  their  lives  were 
spared,  but  they  were  forced  to  give  up  all  their  arms,  magazines  and 
money. 


CX^'II.  —  1.  What  was  the  first  consequence  of  Capsar's  passage  of  the  Rubicon  ?  2. 
Whil  was  the  coridititiM  of  Pompey  ?  3.  How  were  the  people  divided  ?  4.  What  wrw 
'JaMAr'a  success  ?   5.  What  of  Melelhis  and  llie  treasury  7    6,  7.  W  liat  of  Caesar  in  Spain? 


132 


POiMPEY  AiND  CJESAR  IN  GREECh. 


CHAPTER   XCVIII. 
Pompey  and  CcBsar  in  Greece. 

1.  DuRiNii  Uiese  events  Pompey  was  active  in  makinjj  prcparationt 
in  Greece  to  oppose  tlie  arms  of  Caesar.  All  the  monarchs  of  the 
east,  in  alliance  with  Rome,  had  declared  in  Pompey's  favor,  and 
sent  him  large  supplies.  He  had  attacked  Antony  and  Dolabella, 
who  commanded  Caesar's  forces  in  that  part  of  the  empire,  and 
defeated  them,  taking  the  latter  prisoner. 

2.  Crowds  of  the  most  distinguished  Roman  citizens  and  nobha 
came  every  day  to  join  Pompey.  He  had  at  one  time  above  two 
hundred  senators  in  his  camp,  among  whom  were  Cicero  and  Cato, 
whose  approbation  of  his  cause  was  deemed  equivalent  to  an  army. 
Caesar  resolved  to  pursue  Pompey  into  Greece,  but  his  inferiority  in 
naval  force  exposed  his  soldiers  to  great  dangers  and  hardships  in  their 
passage  across  the  Adriatic  tVom  Brundusium  to  Dyrrachium. 

3.  Ca3sar  himself,  having  crossed  with  a  portion  of  his  army,  and 
finding  tlie  remainder  delayed  in  their  passage,  re-crossed  the  strait  in 
an  open  fishing-boat.  The  fisherman,  who  was  ignorant  of  the  nanip 
of  his  passenger,  was  alarmed  at  the  r(»ughness  of  the  sea,  but  the 
dictator  encouraged  him  with  the  menu»rable  words,  *'  Fear  nothing  ; 
you  carry  Caesar  and  his  fortunes." 

4.  Both  armies  now  being  in  the  field,  marched  and  counter- 
marched through  a  tedious  campaign,  in  which  both  leaders  showed 
themselves  equally  reluctant  to  hazard  an  engagement.  From  Epirus 
the  armies  moved  into  Thessaly,  and  finally  met  on  the  plain  of 
Pharsalia,  to  contend  for  the  empire  of  the  Roman  world. 

5.  Pompey's  army  consisted  of  forty-five  thousand  infantry  and 
seven  thousand  cavalry,  besides  light  troops.  Caesar's  fi)rce  amounted 
only  to  twenty-two  thousand  infantry,  and  one  thousand  cavalry ;  but 
Pompey's  siiperiority  of  numbers  was  balanced  by  their  inferior  qual- 
ity ;  his  soldiers  were  mostly  raw  levies,  while  Caesar's  army  was 
composed  of  hardy  veterans,  familiar  with  victory,  and  full  of  the 
highest  confidence  in  themselves  and  their  leader. 

6.  When  Pompey's  ofiicers,  however,  saw  the  inferior  numbers  of 
their  enemy,  their  confidence  was  raised  to  the  highest  pitch.  They 
looked  upon  victory  as  certain,  and  disputed  about  dividing  the  spoils 
before  the  battle  was  fought.  They  disposed  of  all  tiie  dignities  and 
offices  in  the  repul)lic,  and  assigned  the  consuls  for  several  yearr  \v 
come. 

7.  Scipio,  Spinther  and  Domitius  had  an  angry  contest,  which  c^ 
inem  should  be  rewarded   with   the  dignity  of  Pontifex   Maximus 
which  was  then  held  by  Caesar.     Others  sent  to  Rome  to  hire  hous<;s 
suitable  to  the  offices  which  they  expected  to  enjoy  after  the  victory 


XCVIII.  —  1.  How  were  Pompey's  affairs  ia  the  east  ?    2.  What  of  Pompey's  ciu>ip? 
3.  What  of  Cee-sar's  crossin?  the  strait?    4.  Where  did  the   rival  armies  nieet^     •% 
What  were  the  resfieclive  forces?     6.  What  was  theconfideace  of  Pompey's  party  ' 
What  of  their  ilisprtes? 


BATTLE  OF  PHARSALIA. 


133 


Pompey,  who  was  naturally  superstitious,  had  been  greatly  encour- 
aged by  favorable  signs  in  the  entrails  of  victims,  and  resolved  to  risk 
a  general  engagement  on  the  30th  of  July,  B.  C.  48. 


CHAPTER  KCIX 


Battle  of  Pharsalia, 

1.  Cesar's  army  was  divided  into  three  bodies,  Domitius  Ca  vinua 
commanded  the  centre,  Mark  Antony  the  left,  and  Caesar  the  right 
wing,  which  last  was  to  be  opposed  to  Pompey,  and  which  consisted 
of  Caesar's  favorite  tenth  legion. 

2.  The  appearance  of  Pompey's  cavalry  in  one  spot  indicated  to 
Ca?sar  the  designs  of  his  antagonist.  He  therefore  drew  six  cohorts 
frtim  his  rear,  and  concealing  them  behind  his  right,  he  instructed 
them  to  wait  till  the  approach  of  Pompey's  cavalry,  and  then  to  aim 
their  spears  in  the  faces  of  the  horsemen,  who,  consisting  of  the 
young  nobility  of  Rome,  dreaded  a  scratch  in  the  face  more  than  the 
severest  wound  in  the  body. 

3.  He  then  placed  his  own  handful  of  cavalry  on  the  right  of  the 
tenth  legion.  The  signal  being  given  for  battle,  Caesar's  line 
advanced,  while  that  of  Pompey  awaited  the  attack  without  quitting 
its  position.  The  assailants,  when  they  saw  their  enemy  motionless, 
suddenly  came  to  a  halt.  A  short  pause  ensued  ;  both  sides  gazed 
at  each  other  in  a  sort  of  amazement.  But  this  feeling  was  of  short 
duration. 

4.  Caesar's  troops  sprung  forward,  darted  their  javelins,  and  drew 
their  swords.  Pompey  then  ordered  his  cavalry  to  charge  ;  Caesar's 
men  gave  way,  but  the  reserve  of  six  cohorts  now  advanced,  and 
striking  at  the  faces  of  the  enemy,  soon  produced  the  effect  which  had 
been  anticipated. 

5.  The  effeminate  young  Romans,  who  valued  themselves  upon 
their  beauty,  were  intimidated  by  the  unsightly  wounds  which  they 
saw  inflicted  upon  their  companions,  and  thought  of  nothing  but 
saving  themselves.  They  were  soon  put  to  the  rout,  and  fled  in  a 
most  disorderly  manner,  leaving  the  archers  and  slingers  to  be  cut  to 
pieces. 

6.  The  successful  cohorts  now  advanced  against  the  flank  and  rear 
of  Pompey's  line,  which  made  a  brave  resistance  till  Caesar's  third 
line  attacked  them  in  front,  and  forced  them  to  fly  to  their  camp. 
The  auxiliaries  had  fled  while  Pompey's  right  wing  was  fighting 
with  gieat  bravery. 

7  Ca»sar,  perceiving  that  the  issue  of  the  conflict  was  no  longei 
doubtfu,    cried  out  to  his  men  to  pursue  the  strangers,  but  to  spare 


XCfX  —  I.  How  was  Cesar's  army  commanded?  2.  How  did  he  instruct  his 
cohorts?  3,4.  How  did  the  battle  begin?  5.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Pompey'a 
young  men  ?    6.  What  was  the  success  of  the  coliorts  ?    7.  What  was  the  euccets  of 

12 


134 


DLATH  OF  PomFht. 


TRl  IMHH  OF  CJESAR. 


13/5 


the  Romans.     The  auxiliary  troops  were  slaughtered  in  rrreat  num- 
bers, but  the  Ronnans  laid  down  their  arms  and  received  quarter 
Notwithstanding  the  overthrow  of  the  army,  C«s»ir  considered  hit 
victory  as  mcomplete  till  he  was  in  possession  of  Pompey's  camp. 


chapterVcJ 

Death  of  Povipey 


fTTf 


/? 


/    .  r 


1.  The  cohorts  and  Thracians,  who  guarded  the  camp,  made  an 
obstmate  resistance,  but  they  were  driven  from  the  trenches  and  put 
to  flight.  The  victory  being  accomplished,  Ca-sar  cast  a  look  over 
the  battle-field,  and  saw  it  covered  with  the  dead  l)odics  of  his  coun- 
trymen. He  felt,  or  pretended  to  feel,  a  deep  distress  at  the  sight, 
and  exclaimed  in  a  mournful  tone,  '*  Thnj  would  have  it  so!''' 

2.  Caesar,  however,  treated  the  vanquished  with  great  humanity, 
and  the  honors  which  he  acquired  as  a  conqueror  were  soon  rendered 
more  glorious  by  the  clemency  and  moderation  which  he  exhibited  in 
his  subsequent  conduct.  Twenty-four  thousand  of  Pompey's  men 
iaid  down  their  arms  and  enlisted  in  Csesar's  army. 

3.  Poinpey  lost  all  presence  of  mind  as  soon  as  he  saw  his  troops 
give  way.  He  took  to  flight,  and  rode  with  about  thirty  followers  to 
the  gates  of  Larissa,  l)ut  would  not  enter  the  town,  lest  the  inhabita-iis 
should  incur  the  anger  of  Ca^^sar.  He  then  proceeded  to  the  vale  of 
fempe,  and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Peneus,  got  on  board  a  merchant 
/essel  which  he  found  lying  there. 

4.  Thence  he  sailed  to  the  mouth  of  the  Strvmon,  and  havin<' 
jbtained  some  money  from  his  friends  at  Amphipolis,  proceeded  to 
the  island  of  Lesbos.  Here  he  took  on  board  his  wife  Cornelia,  and 
nis  son  Sextus,  and  collecting  a  few  vessels  he  sailed  to  Cilicia!  and 
thence  to  Cyprus. 

5.  It  is  said  tliat  he  consulted  with  his  friends  whether  he  should 
seek  a  refuge  with  the  king  of  Purthia,  or  king  Juba  in  Africa,  or 
the  yo  mg  king  of  Egypt,  whose  father  had  been  restored  to  the 
tlirone  through  his  influence  some  years  before.  The  last  was 
decided  on,  and  Poinpey  sailed  for  Egypt. 

6.  Arriving  at  Peiusium,  he  learnt  that  the  young  king  was  at 
that  place  with  an  army,  being  engaged  in  a  war  with  his  sister 
Cleopatra,  whom  their  father  had  made  joint  heir  of  tne  throne 
Poinpey  sent  to  request  his  protection.  The  king's  ministers  either 
fearing  Pompey's  designs,  or  despising  his  fallen  fortunes,  resolved 
on  his  death. 

7.  They  sent  Achillas,  a  captain  of  the  guard,  and  Septimms,  who 
had  been  a  Roman  centurion,  with  some  others,  in  a  small  bo:it,  to 
inv/io  him  to  land.     He  v^as  requested  to  come  into  tne  boat,  as  iht 


~   ■   JV^V^Vlru'^  behavior  Of  (.esar  on   his  viciory  ?    2.  How  did  ne  treat  ih« 

fanj.ii-sl.cl  /      a     What  was  l\nn\Hiy's  behavidr?      4.  To   what   places  .iid   he   Heel 

To  wluch  country  did  he  last  proceed  ?    6.  What  happei^ed  on  hU  arpval  in  F^ypii 


fchorc  was  toe  shallow  for  a  ship  to  approach  it.     Hi  consented,  and 
embracing  ( 
Sophocles  : 


embracing  Cornelia,   he  entered  the  boat  repeating  the  lines  :rom 


"  He  wno  unto  a  prince's  house  repairs, 
Becomes  his  slave  though  he  go  thither  free !" 

8.  Thev  rowed  toward  the  shore  for  some  time  in  silence.  At 
lenglh  Pompey,  turning  to  Septimius,  said,  "  If  I  mistake  not,  you 
and  I  have  been  fellow-soldiers."  The  latter  merely  nodded,  and 
Pompey  began  to  read  over  a  speech  which  he  had  written  in  Greek, 
to  pronounce  before  the  king. 

9.  Tlie  boat  approached  the  shore,  but  as  Pompey  rose  from  his 
seat  to  land,  Septimius  stabbed  him  in  the  back.  Achillas  and  the 
others  then  struck  him,  and  Pompey,  seeing  death  inevitable,  drew  his 
mantle  over  his  face,  fell,  and  expired.  His  head  was  then  cut  off,  and 
the  body  cast  upon  the  beach,  where  it  lay  till  two  of  his  friends  burnt 
it  on  a  pyre  composed  of  the  wreck  of  a  fishing-boat. 

10.  Such  was  the  end  of  Pompey  the  Great,  a  man  of  commanding 
talents,  whose  private  morals  were  remarkably  pure,  and  whose 
character  was  highly  amiable.  With  these  virtues,  he  was  vain  and 
amf}iiious,  and  could  not  brook  a  rival. 

11.  He  was  a  better  man  than  his  antagonist,  yet  Caesar  was  better 
fitted  for  empire,  as  Pompey  had  not  his  rival's  energy  to  restrain  the 
violence  of  his  followers.  Cicero  feared  with  good  reason  that  Pom- 
pey's victory  in  the  great  struggle  would  have  been  more  sanguinary 
than  that  of  Caesar. 


CHAPTER<^ 

Triumph  of  Ccesar, 

1.  The  news  of  Pompey's  death  occasioned  a  fresh  division  amonc 
his  friends.  Many,  who  were  personally  attached  to  him,  and  who 
held  out,  in  hopes  of  seeing  him  again  at  their  head,  determined  to 
have  recourse  to  the  conqueror's  clemency.  Cornelia  returned  to 
Italy,  well  knowing  she  had  nothing  to  apprehend  from  Ca?sar. 

2.  Cato,  with  Pompey's  two  sons,  marched  to  join  the  king  of 
Numidia.  Caesar,  immediately  after  the  victory  at  Pharsnlia,  began  a 
close  pursuit  of  Pompey,  aod  did  not  hear  of  his  death  till  his  arrival 
at  Alexandria,  when  messengers  from  the  Egyptian  king  brought 
him  the  head  and  signet-ring  of  Pompey.  He  turned  with  disgust 
from  these  relics,  and  ordered  the  head  of  his  unfortunate  rival  to  be 
interred  with  due  honor. 

3.  To  show  his  disapprobation  of  Egyptian  treachery,  Caesar 
caused  a  temple  to  be  erected  near  Pompey's  tomb,  dedicated  to 

7.  Wl'(»  were  employed  to  murder  him)    8,  9.  Describe  this  act.     10,  II.  What  was  iha 
characirr  of  PomiJey  1 

CI.— 1.  What  wa-i  the  consequence  of  Pompey's  death?    2.  What  of  C'alo  ?    Of 
oa  his  arrival  in  Egypt?     3.  Of  Pompey's  tomb?     Of  c;iei>patia?     4   Of 


1 3b 


TRIUMPH  OF  CjESAR 


Nemesis,  the  avenging  power  of  cruel  deeds.  His  next  task  was  ic 
arrange  the  disputed  succession  of  the  crown  ;  but,  seduced  by  the 
charms  of  the  princess  Cleopatra,  he  showed  an  undue  preference  fo? 
her  interests,  and  thus  induced  the  partisans  of  the  young  king 
Ptolemy  to  take  up  arms. 


Clcopacra  receiving  Cccsar. 

4.  As  Caesar  had  brought  only  a  small  body  of  men  with  hiin  \c 
Alexandria,  he  was  exposed  to  great  danger  by  this  sudden  burst  ot 
insurrection.  A  fierce  battle  was  fought  in  the  city.  Caesar  set  fire 
to  the  Egyptian  fleet,  but  unfortunately  the  flames  extended  to  the 
celebrated  public  library,  which  had  been  formed  by  the  literary  taste 
and  munificence  of  the  Egyptian  kings.  The  greater  part  of  this 
magnificent  collection  of  the  most  valuable  works  of  ancient  times 
fell  a  prey  to  the  flames. 

5.  After  the  struggle  had  been  protracted  for  some  time,  Caesar 
received  reinforcements  from  Syria,  which  enabled  him  to  triumph 
over  his  enemies.  From  Egypt,  he  marched  against  Pharnaces,  the 
son  of  the  great  Mithridates,  and  subdued  him  so  easily  that  he 
described  the  campaign  in  a  letter  to  the  senate,  comprised  in  three 
words,  **  Veni^  vidi,  vici,^^  "  I  came,  I  saw,  I  conquered." 

6.  Having  thus  composed  the  affairs  of  the  east,  he  departed  foi 
Rome.  He  found  the  affairs  of  the  city  in  the  greatest  confusion, 
caused  by  the  quarrels  between  Antony  and  Dolabolla.  Caesar  with 
difl>culty  reconciled  them,  and  then  applied  himself  to  the  war  in 
A.fricn  anrainst  Cato  and  the  sons  of  Pompey. 

7  (Ml  his  arrival  in  Africa,  Caesar  found  his  enemies  much  more 
fiiru'.idable  than  he  had  expected.  But  at  length  he  forced  them  to  a 
decitieti  engagement  at  Thapsus,  where  they  were  defeated  with  z 


Vsar's  danger  at  Alexandria  ?    Of  the  pii.ilic  library  ?    .5    Of  the  war  with  Pharuar 


e« 


DICTATORSHIP  OF  CjESAR. 


137 


I«w  often  thousand  men.  Leaving  a  strong  body  to  besiege  the 
place,  he  next  advanced  to  Utica,  which  was  garrisoned  by  the  cele- 
brated Cato  the  Younger,  whose  hostility  to  Cajsar  was  inflexible 

8.  Cato  had  formed  a  little  senate  or  council  of  three  hundred  of 
tne  Roman  traders  who  resided  in  the  place.  When  the  news  of  the 
defeat  at  Thapsus  arrived,  he  assembled  this  body  and  tried  to  inspire 
them  with  courage  and  resolution  ;  but  finding  them  disposed  to  throw 
themselves  on  the  clemency  of  Caesar,  he  gave  up  all  hopes  of  defend- 
ing the  town. 

9.  A  body  of  cavalry,  fleeing  from  the  defeat  of  Thapsus,  arriving^ 
at  this  juncture,  Cato  went  out  to  attempt  to  engage  them  to  stay, 
but  during  his  absence  the  council  met  and  determined  on  a  surrender. 
Cato  then  prepared  for  suicide.     He  arranged  his  accounts,  and  com 
mended  his  children  to  the  care  of  a  friend. 

10.  In  the  evening  he  bathed  and  supped  as  usual  with  his  family, 
discussing  philosophical  questions.  After  supper  he  took  a  walk, 
and  then  retired  to  his  chamber,  where  he  read  over  Plato's  dialogue 
on  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  After  this  he  lay  down  and  slept 
soundly  for  a  few  hours.  Towards  morning  he  rose  and  stabbed 
himself  with  his  sword. 

11.  The  sound  of  his  fall  being  heard,  his  friends  ran  into  the 
room,  and  a  surgeon  attempted  to  bind  up  his  wound.  But  he  thrust 
them  from  him,  tore  open  his  own  bowels,  and  expired.  The  war  in 
Africa  was  finished  by  the  death  of  Cato,  and  Caesar,  having  givan 
orders  for  the  re-building  of  Carthage,  returned  to  Rome. 


CHAPTER;fc!fr\ 

Dictatorship  of  Ccesar. 

1.  On  the  arrival  of  Caesar  in  Rome,  honois  of  every  kind  were 
decreed  to  him  by  the  obsequious  senate.  They  had  already  ordered 
a  thanksgiving  of  forty  days,  for  his  African  victory,  granted  him  the 
dictatorship  for  ten  years,  and  decreed  that  his  chariot  should  be 
placed  on  the  capitol  opposite  the  image  of  Jupiter,  with  the  statue 
of  the  dictator  standing  on  a  brazen  globe,  bearing  the  inscription; 
^^C(Fsnr  the  Denii^rod.'''' 

2.  Having  addres.sed  the  senate  and  the  people,  assuring  them  of 
his  clemency  and  regard  for  the  republic,  he  prepared  to  celebrate 
nis  triumphs  for  his  various  conquests.  Four  of  these  took  place 
within  one  month,  the  first  being  for  Gaul,  the  second  for  Egypt,  the 
third  for  Pontus,  and  the  fourth  for  Numidia. 

3.  The  first  triumph  was  the  most  splendid,  but  as  the  procession 
approached  the  capitol  the  axle  of  the  tnumphal  car  broke,  and 
C./tesar  was  obliged  to  mount  another,  which  occasioned  n.uch  delay 


ft.  Of  Ciesar's  return  lo  Rome?    7.  What  success  had  Caesar  in  Africa?    8,  9.  Wha:  oi/ 
Ijaio  at  Ulica?     10,  II.  De.scril>e  the  death  of  Cato. 
QI  —  1.  What  honors  d=:'  the  Remans  confer  on  Caesar?     2,  \  4.  How  did  Cffisai 

12* 


i:ib 


Dictatorship  of  c^esar. 


In  the  seconr*.  triumph  were   seen   pictures  of  battles^  llic;   pharit 
of  Alexandria  .n  fire,  &c. 


LOSsmc-IMMiTr  «• 


*uUus  LoTsar 

4.  The  third  displayed  a  tablet  with  the  words  **  Veni,  Vim, 
Vici!"  The  golden  crowns  borne  in  triumph  were  two  thousand 
tight  hundred  and  twenty-two  in  number.  Csesar  feasto''  the  people 
of  Rome  at  twenty-two  thousand  tables  placed  in  the  sifcets,  and  to 
a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  citizens  he  gave  ten  pecks  of  corn,  ten 
pounds  of  oil,  and  four  hundred  sesterces  apiece.  As  he  return<^d 
home  from  the  banquet,  lights  were  borne  on  each  side  of  him  by 
forty  elephants. 

5.  After  this  he  entertained  the  people  with  all  sorts  of  games 
sham-fights,  chariot  and  horse-races,  huntings  of  wild  beasts,  &c 
His  veteran  soldiers  he  rewarded  with  twenty-four  thousand  sesterces 
to  each  private,  forty-eight  thousand  to  each  centurion,  and  ninety-six 
thousand  to  each  tribune.     Besides  this  pay,  they  all  received  dona- 
tions of  land. 

(».  Caesar  now  turned  1  is  thoughts  to  legislation.  He  confined  the 
Midiiual  power  to  the  senotors  s.nd  knights  ;  he  sent  eighty  thousand 
citizens  away  as   colonists,  and   ordered  that  no  freeman   betweeu 


-elelr-ile  his  triumphs?    5.  How  ilid  he  erteriain  the  i)eoi)le  and  reward  the  i«oWi«r« 
6,  7.  ?f  hat  were  hid  le^ialalive  acts  } 


CONSPIRACY  AGALNST  CESAR 


139 


c^i  nty  and  for^    years  of  age  should  remain  more  than  three  years 
out  K}{  Italy. 

' .  He  granted  the  freedom  of  the  city  to  all  physicians  and  pro- 
fessors of  the  liberal  arts.     To  perpetuate  his  power,  he  reserved  to  ■ 
himself  the  appointment  of  one  half  of  those  who  were  to  be  elected 
to  offices  in  the  state ;  and  at  the  approach  of  the  elections  he  always 
signified  to  the  people  what  persons  he  would  have  cliosen  for  the 


remaining  places. 


CHAPTER  Clll. 


/ 


Conspiracy  against  Ccesar, 

1.  But  all  the  genius  of  Caesar,  and  all  the  wisdom  and  :*lemency 
which  marked  his  exercise  of  power,  could  not  compensate  in  the 
minds  of  his  countrymen  for  the  crime  of  elevating  himself  on  the 
ruins  of  the  republic. 

2.  It  was  also  rumored  that  he  designed  to  assume  the  title  of 
king,  and  although  he  already  possessed  the  full  authority  of  a  mon- 
arcii,  yet  the  name  was  insufferably  odious  to  the  Romans.  Whether 
he  ever  designed  to  invest  himself  with  that  empty  honor,  must  for- 
ever remain  a  secret. 

3.  Mark  Antony,  at  the  feast  of  Lupercalia,  ventured  to  perform 
the  ceremony  of  offering  him  a  crown  in  the  full  presence  of  the 
Roman  people.  It  is  supposed  that  this  was  done  by  Caesar's  insti- 
gation ;  but  the  niurmurs  of  the  multitude  compelled  him  to  refuse 
the  emblem  of  regality. 

4.  The  belief  that  Caesar  was  aiming  at  a  throne,  however,  could 
not  be  removed  from  the  minds  of  great  numbers  of  people,  and  at 
length  a  conspiracy  was  formed  for  his  destruction.  No  less  than 
sixty  of  the  senators  were  implicated  in  it,  and  the  greater  part  of 
tiiem  were  among  Caesar's  adheients  during  the  struggle  with  Pom- 
pey. 

5.  At  the  head  of  the  conspiracy  were  Brutus  and  Cassius.  The 
former  made  it  his  chief  glory  to  boast  of  being  descended  from  that 
Brutus  who  first  gave  liberty  to  Rome.  The  love  of  freedom  seemed 
to  have  been  transmitted  to  him  with  the  blood  of  his  ancestors.  But 
though  he  detested  tyranny,  he  could  not  forbear  feeling  a  personal 
attachment  to  Caesar,  from  whom  he  had  received  distinguished 
favors. 

6.  The  conspirators  resolved  to  put  their  plot  in  execution  in  the 
senate-house,  on  the  ides  of  March.  The  augurs  had  foretold  that 
this  day  would  be  fatal  to  Caesar.  His  wife,  Calphurnia,  dreamed,  on 
the  r  ight  previous,  that  she  saw  him  assassinated.  These  omens 
affected  him  in  such  a  manner  that  he  was  inclined  to  defer  going  to 


IV  as 


cm  -1.  How  did  the  Romans  feel  respecting  Caesar's  elevation?  2.  What  riimoi 
.as  current  respecting  him?  3.  What  of  Mark  Antony  at  the  Lu{)ercalia?  4.  What 
»f  lh<  conspiracy  against  Caesar  ?  5.  Who  were  at  the  head  of  it  ?  6.  What  of  the  ide* 
»f  March  '^    Of  omens?    7.  What  happened  as  Cajsar  was  going  tc  the  senate-hoasi? 


/iO 


ASSASSINATION   OF  CiESAR. 


the  senate  on  that  day  ;  but  one  of  the  conspirators,  who  called  upon 
him  in  the  morning,  represented  to  him  the  absurdity  of  his  staying 
at  home  because  his  wife  had  unlucky  dreams. 

7.  Casar  ^as  therefore  persuaded  to  go,  and  the  conspiracy  was 
very  near  being  detected.  As  he  passed  through  the  streets,  a  slave, 
who  was  in  possession  of  the  secret,  attempted  to  come  near  liim  and 
give  informa/ion,  but  was  prevented  by  the  crowd. 


CHAPTER^J?!v\ 

Assassination  of  CcBsar 


1.  Artemidorus,  a  Greek  philosopher,  who  had  discovered  the 
whole  plot,  put  a  paper  into  the  hand  of  Caesar,  containing  an  account 
of  it ;  but  the  latter,  imagining  it  to  be  a  common  matter  of  business, 
gave  it,  with  other  papers,  to  a  secretary,  without  reading  it,  as  was 
his  custom. 

2.  Having  at  length  entered  the  senate-house,  where  the  conspira- 
tors were  prepared  to  receive  him,  he  met  one  Spurina,  an  augur, 
who  had  foretold  his  danger.  "  Well,"  said  Caesar,  with  a  smile' 
**  the  ides  of  March  are  come."  **  True,"  replied  the  augur,  "  but 
they  are  not  yet  past." 

3.  As  soon  as  Caesar  had  taken  his  place,  the  conspirators  ap- 
proached under  pretence  of  saluting  him.  One  of  them,  Cimber, 
in  a  suppliant  posture,  pretended  to  sue  for  the  pardon  of  his  brother, 


CIV.  — I.  What  of  Artemidorus  ?    2.  Of  Spurina?    3  4.  Describe  the  death  e/   Je 
b,  6.  What  of  his  character  a4id  exploiia  1 


MARK  ANTONY. 


141 


who  had  been  banished  by  the  dictator.  The  others  seconded  him 
with  great  zeal.  Cimber,  pretending  uncommon  earnestness,  took 
hold  of  the  bottom  of  Caesar's  robe,  which  prevented  him  from  ris'ng. 

4.  This  was  the  signal  previously  concerted,  and  all  immediately 
nished  upon  him.  Casca,  who  was  behind,  stabbed  him  first  in  the 
shoulder.  Caesar  turned  upon  him,  and  with  his  stylus,  or  steel 
writmg  rod,  wounded  him  in  the  arm.  Thrusts  were  now  aimed  at 
the  dictator  on  all  sides ;  he  defended  himself  with  great  vigor,  rush- 
ing upon  his  assailants,  and  throwing  down  such  as  opposed  him,  tili 
he  saw  Brutus  among  the  conspirators.  From  that  moment  he  made 
no  attempt  to  save  himself,  but  exclaiming,  "  And  thou  too,  Brutus ! " 
he  sunk  down  at  the  base  of  Pompey's  statue,  pierced  by  twenty- 
three  wounds. 

5.  Thus  perished,  in  his  fifty-sixth  year,  B.  C.  44,  Julius  Caesar, 
the  greatest  man  in  all  Roman  history.  As  a  general,  a  statesman, 
an  orator,  and  a  man  of  taste,  he  is  equally  the  object  of  admiration. 
He  was  free  from  vanity,  clement  and  generous.  But  he  was  also 
insatiably  ambitious ;  and  though  not  wantonly  cruel,  as  no  really 
great  man  can  be,  he  could  shed  torrents  of  blood  to  gain  a  favorite 
object. 

6.  Though  he  enforced  the  laws  when  he  held  the  supreme  power, 
he  trampled  upon  them  without  scruple  when  they  stood  in  his  way. 
According  to  the  old  Valerian  law  of  Rome,  Caesar  was  legally  put 
to  death  ;  yet  the  consequences  of  this  act  were  most  pemioious  to 
the  Roman  people. 


CHAPTER  CV. 


Mark  Antony, 

1.  The  conspirators  had  no  sooner  accomplished  their  work,  than 
lirutus,  brandishing  his  bloody  dagger,  congratulated  the  senate,  and 
Cicero  in  particular,  on  the  recovery  of  Roman  liberty.  But  the 
senators,  seized  with  fear  and  astonishment,  rushed  out  of  the  capitol 
and  hid  themselves  in  their  houses. 

2.  Caesar's  friends  had  now  an  opportunity  for  gratifying  their 
•ambition  under  the  pretence  of  promoting  justice.  Mark  Antony, 
one  of  these,  distinguished  himself  above  all  others.  He  was  a  man 
of  moderate  abilities,  disgraced  by  habits  of  vice,  and  only  ambitious 
of  power  because  it  gave  a  wider  range  to  his  immoralities.  He  was, 
however,  skilled  in  war,  to  which  he  had  been  trained  from  his  youth. 

3.  Antony  was  consul  for  this  year,  and  in  conjunction  with  Lepi- 
dus,  a  person,  like  himself,  fond  of  commotions  and  intrigues,  he 
planned  a  scheme  for  seizing  upon  the  chief  authority.  In  pursuance 
of  this  design,  Lepidus  took  possession  of  the  forum  with  a  chosen 
band  of  soldiers.  The  next  step  was  to  obtain  possession  of  Caesar's 
papers  end  money. 

4.  The  senate  was  then  convened  to  pronounce  whether  Caesar  had 

CV.  — 1.  Wliat  was  the  behavior  of  Brutus?    Of  the  senators?    2   Of  M.  Antony 


142 


MARK  ANTONY. 


been  a  leg^l  magistrate  or  a  tyrannical  usurper.     This  \va.*  an  em 
Imrrajssing  question.     Many  of  the  senators  had  received  all  theii 
olfices  from  Cajsar,  and  had  acquired  large  fortimes  by  servincr  him  • 
to  vote  him  an  usurper,  therefore,  would  endanger  their  property  ;  yei 
to  vote  him  innocent  might  endanger  the  stite. 


Mark  Antomj 

5.  In  this  dilemma  they  attempted  to  reconcile  the  two  contradie 
tory  opinions ;  they  sanctioned  all  the  acts  of  Ccesar,  and  yet  graniod 
a  pardon  to  his  assassins.  This  decree  was  far  from  satisfying  An- 
tony, as  it  granted  security  to  a  number  of  men  who  were  the  avowed 
enemies  of  tyranny,  and  who,  he  foresaw,  would  be  active  in  oppos- 
ing his  schemes  of  restoring  absolute  power. 

6  Seeing,  therefore,  that  the  senate  had  ratified  all  Caenar's  acts, 
without  distinction,  he  formed  a  plan  for  making  him  rule  after  his 
death.  Having  obtained  possession  of  the  dictator's  accouni  books 
and  papers,  he  bribed  his  secretary  to  insert  in  them  whit'^ver  he 
thought  proper.  By  this  scheme  large  sums  of  Caesar's  moh**.y  \vere 
distributed  in  a  m inner  favorable  to  Antony's  designs. 


3    What  waa  done  by  Antony  and  Lepiilns?    4.  By  the  senate?     5.  Howdm  .h.^>«eafe 
Antony?    6.  How  did  Aaiony  distribute  Coescir'a  money  ? 


FUNEIAL  OF  CJESAR. 


543 


CHAPTER  CVI. 

Funeral  of  Ccesar, 


Antony  addressing  the  People  on  the  Death  of  Ctcsar. 

1  Antony  obtained  a  decree  for  the  performance  of  Caesar's  fu- 
n(;ra)  Dbsequies.  The  body  was  carried  into  the  forum  with  the 
utmost  solemnity,  and  Antony,  who  had  charged  himself  with  these 
last  duties  of  friendship,  began  to  work  upon  the  passions  of  the 
people  by  artful  appeals  to  their  private  iD»>erests. 

2.  He  first  read  to  them  Caesar's  will.  In  which  he  made  Octavius, 
his  sister's  grandson,  his  heir,  permitting  him  to  take  the  name  of 
(Jaesar,  with  three  fourths  of  his  private  fortune.  To  the  people  of 
Rome  were  left  the  gardens  which  he  possessed  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Tiber,  and  to  every  citizen  three  hundred  sesterces,  or  aboa . 
eleven  dollars  and  a  quarter. 

3.  After  reading  the  will,  Antony  unfolded  Caesar's  bioody  robe, 
pierced  by  the  daggers  of  the  conspirators,  and  pointed  out  the  num- 
ber of  stabs  in  it.  He  also  displayed  a  w^axen  image,  representinn 
the  body  of  Ca?sar,  all  covered  with  wounds.  The  people,  excited 
by  th(;se  artful  tricks,  could  no  longer  restrain  their  indignation  against 
the  conspirators. 

4  They  stonned  the  senate-house,  tore  up  the  benches  to  make  a 
funeral  pile  for  Ce?sar's  body,  and  ran  with  flaming  brands  to  set  fiie 
to  the  houses  of  Brutus,  Cassius,  and  tlieir  associates.  These  per 
sons,  howevc,  i>ilncr  well  guarded,  repulsed  the  attacks  of  the  popu 
hc8  >\ih  no  great  difl^culty  ;  but  perceiving  that  they  were  no  longe! 
sai^:  m  ivomo,  th^y  withdrew  from  the  city. 


tVl.  —  1.  Who  undertook  the  funeral  of  Caesar  ?    2.  What  of  Caesar's  will  ?  3,  4.  How 
Here  th<!  |)eopIe  excited  by  Antony  ?    What  of  Brutus  and  Cassius  ?    5.  How  did  Anto 


lU 


THE  SECOND  TKIUMVIKATK. 


5.  Antony,  having  thus  accomplished  his  first  purpose,  prf.ct-pdi% 
in  his  main  design  with  the  same  cunning.  He  put  on  an  appr.ir- 
ance  of  moderation,  and  affected  an  anxiety  to  procure  an  act  of  am 
nesty.  But  having  been  joined  by  Octavius,  he  threw  off  the  mask, 
and  proposed  extraordinary  honors  to  the  memory  of  Caejar,  with  a 
religious  supplication  to  him  as  a  divinity. 

6.  Brutus  and  Cassius  at  length  discovered  that  Antony  meditated 
nothing  but  war,  and  that  their  cause  was  daily  growing  more  des- 
perate ;  they  therefore  left  Italy,  and  sought  refuge  in  the  East. 

7.  Octavius,  becoming  jealous  of  Antony,  joined  the  party  of  the 
senate,  and  Antony,  retiring  into  Cisalpine  Gaul,  levied  an  army  of 
veterans.  The  senate  declared  him  a  public  enemy,  and  sent  an 
army  against  him,  under  the  consuls  Hirtius  and  Pansa.  A  battle 
took  place  near  Modena;  both  the  consuls  were  killed,  but  their 
army  was  victorious,  and  Antony  fled  to  Lepidus,  in  Spain. 


CHAPTE 


iT^ 


The  Secorid  Triumvirate. 

1.  Octavius,  who  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  army,  opened  a 
negotiation  with  Lepidus  and  Antony,  and  these  three  conspirators 
against  the  liberties  of  Rome  held  a  meeting  on  a  little  island  in  one 
of  the  branches  of  the  Po.  Here,  in  a  coiference  of  three  days,  a 
partition  of  the  whole  Roman  world  was  made,  the  iiite  of  thousands 
of  people  was  determined,  and  these  remorseless  conspirators  gave 
up  their  best  friends  to  be  butchered. 

2.  Lepidus  abandoned  his  brother  to  the  vengeance  of  his  colleague. 
Antony  sacrificed  his  uncle,  and  Octavius,  to  his  eternal  disgrace,  * 
permitted  Cicero  to  be  murdered.  Thus  was  formed  the  J;lecond 
Triumvirate,  who  agreed  to  hold  the  supreme  authoriiy  among  them 
for  five  years.  To  Antony  was  assigned  Gaul ;  to  Lepidus,  Spain  ; 
dnd  to  Octavius,  Africa  and  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean. 

3.  It  was  agreed  that  Italy  and  the  eastern  provinces  should  re- 
main in  common  till  all  the  enemies  of  the  Triumvirate  were  subdue<l. 
This  bloody  work  was  immediately  commenced,  and  the  noblest  citi- 
zens of  Rome  were  sacrificed  to  the  political  liatred  and  base  ambi- 
tion of  the  triumvirs. 

4.  The  most  illustrious  of  the  victims  was  Cicero,  whose  seven' 
and  eloquent  invectives  against  Antony  had  procured  him  the  relent- 
/ess  hatred  of  that  abandoned  person.  A  band  of  assassins,  headed 
Dy  a  tribune  whose  life  Cicero  had  savecl*  by  defending  liim  in  a  cap- 
ital trial,  was  sent  in  pursuit  of  him.  He  was  overtaken  near  the 
•ea-coast,  on  the  road  between  Rome  and  Naples,  and  murdered  ^n 
ihe  spot. 


ny  mask  his  designs?    G.  To  what  quarter  did  Brutus  and  Cassius  flee  ?    7.  What  of 
Octavius  ?    Of  Antony  and  the  senate? 

CVII.  —  ;.  What  conspiracy  was  formed  by  Octavius,  I^pidua,  and  Antony'^  2.  What 
friends  did  the  conspirators  sacrifice?    How  did  the  Triumvirs  divide  iheii   Doweri 


BRUTUS  AND  CASSlUb. 


145 


ft.  Id  the  mean  time  Bnitus  and  Cassius  had  persuaded  the  Roman 
etudents  at  Athens  to  declare  for  the  cause  of  Ireedcm.  The  former 
raised  a  powerful  army  in  Macedonia  ;  the  latter  went  to  Syria,  where 
he  was  equally  successful.  Both  armies  then  united  at  Smyrna,  and 
the  sight  of  such  a  formidable  force  began  to  revive  the  spirits  of  the 
Roman  patriots. 

6.  They  first  marched  against  the  Rhodians  and  the  Lycians,  who 
had  refused  their  usual  contributions  to  Rome.  After  having  reduced 
theje  people  to  submission,  Brutus  and  Cassius  met  again  at  Sardis, 
where  they  resolved  to  hold  a  private  conference.  They  therefore 
shut  themselves  up  in  a  room  together,  giving  orders  that  no  other 
person  should  be  admitted. 

7.  Brutus  began  by  reproaching  Cassius  for  selling  ofl^ices  for 
money,  and  overtaxing  the  tributary  states.  Cassius  "repelled  the 
imputation  of  avarice  with  bitterness,  as  he  knew  it  to  be  groundless. 
The  debate  grew  warm,  till  from  loud  speaking  they  burst  into  tears. 

8.  Their  friends,  who  were  standing  at  the  door,  overheard  the 
increasing  vehemence  of  their  voices,  and  began  to  trembie  for  the 
consequences,  till  one  of  them,  named  Favonius,  who  valued  himself 
upon  a  cynical  boldness  that  knew  no  restraint,  entering  the  room  with 
a  jest,  calmed  their  animosity. 


CHAPTEp  CViil. 


^N 


Brutus  a?id\Cassius. 

1.  After  the  interview  between  these  two  leaders,  Cassius  invited 
Brutus  to  an  entertainment,  where  freedom  and  cheerfulness  for  a 
while  took  the  place  of  political  cares  and  anxieties.  It  was  believed 
that  Brutus,  on  retiring  to  his  tent  from  this  feast,  saw  a  spectre 
which  predicted  to  him  his  future  fate. 

2.  In  the  dead  of  the  night,  as  the  story  is  told  by  Plutarch,  when 
the  whole  camp  was  perfectly  quiet,  Brutus,  having  wj.ked  from  a 
short  sleep,  was  engaged,  according  to  his  usual  custom,  in  reading 
by  the  light  of  a  lamp.  On  a  sudden,  he  thought  he  heard  a  noise 
as  if  somebody  was  entering  the  tent. 

3.  Looking  toward  the  door,  he  perceived  it  open,  and  a  gigantic 
figure  of  frightful  aspect  standing  before  him.  After  a  few  moments 
of  silence,  during  which  the  spectre  gazed  at  him  with  a  stern  look, 
Brutus  asked,  *'  Art  thou  a  demon  or  a  mortal,  and  why  coniest  thou 
i«  me?  *'I  am  thy  evil  genius,  Brutus,"  answered  the  spectre; 
y  thou  Shalt  see  me  again  at  PhiUppi."  ''Well,  then,"  returned 
Brutus,  coolly,  "  we  shall  meet  again." 

4.  Upon  this  the  phantom  disappeared,  and  Brutus,  callino-  to  his 
8f  rvants,  asked  if  they  had  seen  anything.  They  answered  in  the 
uegative,  and   he  resumed   his  studies.     Struck  with  the  extraor- 


l  w  t^    "Tt^^®  character  of  th«  war  which  followed  ?    4.  What  was  the  f  ite  of  Cicero  i 
Xtu       ?'""^^"f,^"*'  Cassius  in  the  east  ?    6,  7,  S.  Of  their  quarrel  at  Sardis  ? 
<  Vlll.    -1— J.  Kelaiellie  story  of  the  apparition  of  the  evil  genius  of  Brutus.   6 

10 


6   W)uM 


146 


3RUTUS  AND  CASSIUS. 


dinary  character  of  th  3  adventure,  he  mentioned  ii  to  Caserne.  trU 
ascribed  it  to  an  imagination  disordered  by  watchmg  and  anxiety 


Brutus. 

5  Stich  is  the  story  of  Brutus'  evil  p^enius,  as  it  was  current  in 
Plutarch's  time.  The  facts,  whatever  they  might  have  been,  were 
doubtless  much  embellished  by  popular  rumor  before  they  reached  the 
hands  of  the  biographer. 

6  The  triumvirs,  in  the  mean  time,  having  taken  vengeance  on 
their  enemies  in  Italy,  raised  a  formidable  army,  of  whicl.  Antony 
and  Octavius  took  the  command.  They  passed  over  into  <^reece 
Brutus  and  Cassius  advanced  to  meet  them  by  the  way  of  llirace. 
The  Roman  world  regarded  the  approaching  armies  in  breathless  sus- 
pense.    The  command  of  the  republic  depended  on  the  fate  ol  a 

7  From  victory  on  the  one  side,  they  expected  freedom ;  on  the 
other,  a  sovereign  with  absolute  authority.  Brutus  was  the  only  man 
who  looked  upon  these  great  events  with  calmness.  Indiflerent  as  to 
success,  and  satisfied  with  having  done  his  duty,  he  said  to  one  ot  his 
friends,  ^'  If  I  am  victorious,  I  shall  restore  liberty  to  my  country  ;  ir 
not,  by  dying  I  shall  myself  be  delivered  from  slavery ;  my  condition 
b  fixed  ;  I  run  no  hazards."  •  " 


I 


sups  were  lakan  by  the  iriumrirs ?    7.  What  uf  the  calmueaa  of  p.ulua?    8.  Wh«l 


BArrLE  OF  PHILIPPi. 


147 


8  1  ;.e  re])ublican  army  consisted  of  eighty  ihousai  d  foot  anc 
twenty  thousand  horse,  that  of  the  triumvirs  amounted  to  a  hundred 
thousand  foot  and  thirteen  thousand  horse.  They  met  on  the  plains 
of  Philippi,  in  Macedonia,  B.  C.  42.  Cassius  desired  to  be  informed 
how  Brutus  intended  to  act  in  case  they  should  be  unsuccessful. 

9.  To  this  Brutus  replied,  "Formerly,  in  my  writings,  I  condemned 
the  death  of  Cato,  and  maintained  that  to  avoid  calamities  by  suicide 
is  an  insolent  attempt  against  Heaven  which  sends  them.  But  I  have 
since  altered  my  opinion.  I  have  given  up  my  life  to  my  country, 
and  I  think  I  have  a  right  to  my  own  way  "of  ending  it.  I  am 
resolved,  therefore,  to  exchange  a  miserable  being  herelfor  a  better 
hereafter,  should  fortune  turn  against  me." 

10.  Cassius,  at  this  answer,  embraced  him,  saying,  "  My  friend, 
now  we  may  venture  to  face  the  enemy,  for  either  we  shall  be  cou 
querors  or  we  shall  have  no  cause  to  fear  those  that  are  so."  ,   /n 

— -   K I 

CHAPTER  cSJ  ^--^-^    ^ 
Battle  of  Philippi, 

1.  The  battle  now  began.  Antony  took  the  sole  command  of  the 
tiiumvirate  army,  as  Octavius  was  sick,  or  pretended  to  be  so  ;  his 
courage,  indeed,  never  was  apparent  in  the  hour  of  battle.  Antony 
made  a  furious  attack  upon  the  lines  of  Cassius,  and  Brutus  on  the 
other  hand  assaulted  the  forces  which  should  have  been  commanded 
by  Octavius. 

2.  Brutus  penetrated  as  far  as  the  enemy's  camp,  routed  and  dis- 
persed the  ranks  opposed  to  him.  But  while  his  troops  were  aban- 
doning themselves  to  plunder,  the  lines  of^Cassius  were  forced,  and 
his  cavalry  put  to  flight.  This  unfortunate  commander  made  every 
possible  effort  to  rally  his  infantry,  stopping  those  who  fled,  and 
seizing  the  standards  with  his  own  hand. 

3.  But  his  valor  was  insufl[icient  to  inspire  the  timorous  fugitives 
with  courage,  and  at  length,  despairing  of  success,  he  retired  to  his 
tent,  where  he  was  shortly  afterwards  found  dead.  The  general 
opinion  was  that  he  had  committed  suicide  ;  but  as  his  head  was  found 
severed  from  his  body,  many,  with  greater  probability,  believed  that 
he  was  treacherously  murdered  by  his  freedman  Pindarus. 

4.  Brutus,"  now  sole  general,  assembled  the  dispersed  troops  of 
Cassius,  and  animated  them  with  fresh  hopes  of  victory.  His  objecj 
A'as  to  starve  the  enemy,  who  were  now  in  extreme  want  of  provis 
ions,  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  their  fleet.  But  his  opinion  waa 
overruled  by  his  army,  who  grew  every  day  more  confident  of  their 
strength,  and  more  arrogant  toward  their  general. 


wpre  the  forces  of  the  contending  armies?     Where  did  they  meet?    9   10.  How  did 
Brutus  aiid  Ca«isiiis  beiiave  on  the  eve  of  the  tattle? 
CIX  —  1.  How  did  the  battle  of  Philippi   oegin?    2.  What  disaster   happened   to 
iius  7    3.  What  was  his  fate?    4.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Brutus  ?    5.  What  looii 


i 


148 


BArrLE  OF  PHILIPPl. 


5.  At  last,  after  a  respite  of  twenty  days,  Brutus  was  conipeiled  t^ 
ivy  the  fate  of  another  battle.  Both  armies  were  dniwn  out,  and 
they  remained  a  lono^  while  in  sijjht  of  each  other,  without  oflfering  to 
cn^affe.  It  was  believed  that  Brutus  himself  had  lost  much  of  his 
ardor,  by  having  seen  ag-ain,  or  fancying  that  he  saw,  the  spectre 
during  the  preceding  night. 

6.  However,  he  encouraged  his  men,  and  gave  the  signal  for  battle 
As  usual,  he  had  the  advantage  where  he  commanded  in  person,  bear 
ing  down  the  enemy  at  the  head  of  his  infantry,  and  making  grca. 
slaughter.     But  tlie  troops   which    had  belonged   to  Cassius  were 
seized  with  a  panic,  and  communicating  their  terror  to  the  rest,  caused 
i\>o  whole  army  to  give  way. 

7.  Brutus,  surrounded  by  the  most  valiant  of  his  officers,  fought 
for  a  lonjT  time  with  amazinjj  valor.  The  son  of  Cato  and  the  brother 
of  Cassius  fell  fighting  by  his  side.  At  last  he  was  obliged  to  yield 
to  superior  numbers,  and  fled.    - 

8.  The  triumvirs,  confident  of  victory,  had  given  orders  that  Brutus 
should  by  no  means  be  sufl^ered  to  escape  ;  but  Lucilius,  his  friend, 
resolved  to  deliver  him  from  danger  at  the  expense  of  his  own  life. 
Seeing  a  party  of  Thracian  horse  closely  pursuing  Brutus,  he  boldly 
threw  himself  in  their  way,  telling  them  he  was  Brutus. 

9.  The  Thracians  immediately  took  him  prisoner,  and  sent  word 
of  their  capture  to  Antony,  who  immediately  hastened  to  meet  bis 
illustrious  prisoner,  that  he  might  insult  his  misfortunes.  The  ardoi 
of  the  pursuit  having-  been  abated  by  this  stratagem,  Brutus  escaped 
from  his  enemies,  with  a  number  of  his  most  faithful  followers. 

10.  The  night  coming  on,  he  sat  down  under  the  shelter  of  a  rock. 
After  silting  a  while  to  take  breath,  he  repeated  a  line  from  Kurip- 
ides,  containing  a  wish  to  the  gods  that  guilt  should  not  pass  in  this 
life  without  punishment.  To  this  he  added  another  from  the  same 
poet :  "  O  virtue  !  I  have  worshipped  thee  as  a  real  good  ;  but  thou 
art  an  empty  name,  and  the  slave  of  fortune  !" 

11.  He  then  called  to  mind  with  great  tenderness  tliose  whom  he 
had  seen  perish  in  battle.  He  sent  out  one  of  his  friends  to  gain 
information  of  those  who  remained  ;  but  this  person  never  returned, 
being  killed  by  a  party  of  the  enemy's  horse. 

12.  Brutus,  judging  rightly  of  his  fate,  now  resolved  to  die  like- 
wise, and  entreated  those  who  stood  round  him  to  give  him  their  lasf 
assistance  ;  but  they  all  refused  to  render  him  so  melancholy  a  sci  vice. 
He  then  withdrew  aside  with  his  friend  Strato,  requesting  him  to 
perform  the  last  oflice  of  friendship. 

13.  Upon  his  refusal,  he  ordered  one  of  his  slaves  to  execute  what 
lie  so  ardently  desired.  At  this  Strato  cried  out  that  it  should  never 
be  said  that  Brutus,  in  his  last  extremity,  stood  in  need  of  a  slave  for 
want  of  a  friend.  Turning  his  head  aside  with  these  words  he  pre- 
sented the  point  of  his  sword.  Brutus  threw  himself  upon  it,  and 
irmnediatoly  expired. 

Bliice  a',  the  end  of  twenty  days  ?     6.  What  of  the  second  battle?    7,  Of  the  defeat  of 
ruiiw  •    8,  9.  By  what  stralasem  did  B'-utu3  escape  ?     10—13.  Deacribe  the  death  o* 
bruiud 


AMOXV    AND  CLEOPATRA.  |4)h 


CHAPTER  ex. 

Antony  and  Cleopatra, 

!.  The  last  hopes  of  Roman  liberty  expired  with  Brutus  The 
triumvirs  made  a  cruel  use  of  their  victory,  putting  to  death  their 
political  opponents  without  mercy.  The  men  of  the  first  rank  m 
Home  either  fell  by  the  hands  of  hired  assassins,  f  r  killed  themselves 
lo  avoid  the  insults  of  those  who  were  about  to  murder  them. 

2.  A  senator  and  his  son  were  ordered  to  cast  lots  for  their  lives 
but  both  refused.  The  father  voluntarily  gave  himself  up  to  the 
executioner,  and  the  son  stabbed  himself  before  his  face  Another 
begged  the  favor  of  the  rites  of  burial  after  his  death,  to  which  Octa- 
vius  replied  thiU  he  would  soon  find  a  grave  in  the  vultures  that 
would  devour  him. 

3  The  head  of  Brutus  was  sent  to  Rome,  and  thrown  at  the  foot 
of  Caesar  s  statue.  His  ashes  were  claimed  by  his  wife,  Portia,  the 
daughter  of  Cato,  who,  following  the  example  of  her  fatlier  and 
husband,  killed  herself  by  swallowing  coals  of  fire. 

4.  The  power  of  the  triumvirs  being  now  established  on  the  ruins 
of  the  commonwealth,  they  began  to  think  of  enjoving  the  homao-e 
of  the  people  whom  they  had  subjected.  Antony  went  to  Greece  to 
receive  the  flattery  of  the  refined  Athenians.  He  spent  some  time  at 
Athens,  conversing  with  the  philosophers  and  attending  at  their  dis- 
putations. 

5.  Thence  he  passed  into  Asia,  where  all  the  monarchs  of  the 
east  who  acknowledged  the  Roman  power  came  to  pay  him  obei- 
sance, while  the  fairest  princesses  strove  to  gain  his  favor  by  the  value 
of  their  presents  or  the  allurements  of  their  beauty. 

6.  In  this  manner  he  proceeded  from  kingdom  to  kingdom,  attended 
by  a  succession  of  sovereigns,  exacting  contributions,  distributing 
favors,  and  giving  away  crowns  with  capricious  insolence.  He 
bestowed  the  kingdom  of  Cappadocia  upon  Sysenes,  because  he 
admired  the  beauty  of  his  mother.  He  settled  Herod  in  the  kinff. 
domofJudea. 

7.  Cleopatra,  queen  of  Egypt,  surpassed  all '  '•.^r^  in  the  arts  by 
which  she  sought  to  inveigle  Antony.     It  ha   i^'i\^\  thai  Serapion, 
her  governor  in  Cyprus,  had  furnished  assistar.  ♦    or.asgius       Antony 
summoned  her  to  answer  for  his  conduct,  and  aiie   r«;jdilv  compile.] 
confiding  in  her  powers  of  fascination. 

8.  Antony  was  at  Tarsus,  a  city  of  Cilicia,  wheii  Cleupaira 
resolved  to  attend  his  court  in  person.  She  sailed  down  the  river 
Cydnus  to  meet  him,  with  the  most  sumptuous  pageantry.  Tlie 
Stem  of  her  galley  was  covered  with  gold,  its  sails  were  of  purple 
eilk,  the  oars  silver,  and  the  rowers  kept  time  to  the  sound  of  flutes 
and  cymbals. 


^^rhA^'^'^c^l^  ^^*^e  t!:l""i^';«  "se  their  victory  7     3.  What  of  Brutus'  head  and 
Mhe.  ?    Of  his  wife?    4.  What  of  Antony  in  Greece?    5,  6.  In  Asia,  <kc.  7    7.  Whai 
fCJeojfttra?    8  9.  Describe  her  state  on  the  Cydnus. 

13* 


150 


ROME  UNDER  THE  TRIUMVIKb. 


9.  Cleopatra  exhibited  herself  reclining  on  a  couch  spanjrled  with 
stars  of  gold,  and  such  other  ornaments  as  poets  and  painters  usually 
ascribe  to  Venus.  On  each  side  were  boys  like  Cupids,  fanning  hei 
by  turns,  while  beautiful  nymphs,  dressed  like  Nereids  and  Graces, 
were  placed  at  proper  distances  around  her.  The  incense  burning  on 
board  her  galley  perfumed  the  banks  of  the  river  as  she  passed,  while 
crowds  of  people  gazed  upon  the  spectacle  with  delight  and  admiia- 
tion. 


CHAPTER  CXI. 

Rome  under  the  Triuinvirs, 

1.  A_NT0NY  soon  became  captivated  with  her  beauty,  and  found 
himself  unable  to  defend  his  heart  against  that  passion  which  proved 
the  cause  of  his  future  misfortunes.  When  Cleopatra  had  thus 
secured  her  power,  she  set  out  on  her  return  to  Egypt,  and  Antony, 
abandoning  every  other  object,  hastened  after  her.  In  that  country 
he  gave  himself  up  to  all  those  indulgences  to  which  his  vicious  heart 
was  inclined,  and  for  which  he  found  ample  means  among  tlie  luxu- 
rious inhabitants  of  Alexandria. 

2.  While  Antony  was  thus  wasting  his  time  in  Egypt,  Octavius, 
who  undertook  to  lead  back  the  veteran  troops  and  settle  them  in 
Italy,  was  busily  employed  in  providing  for  their  subsistence.  He 
had  promised  them  lands  at  home  as  a  recompense  for  their  past 
services,  but  they  could  not  receive  their  grants  without  expelling  the 
original  owners. 

3.  In  consequence  of  this,  multitudes  of  women,  with  children  in 
their  arms,  whose  tender  years  and  innocence  excited  universal  com- 
passion, daily  filled  the  streets  and  temples  with  their  lamentations. 
Crowds  of  husbandmen  and  shepherds  came  to  petition  the  conqueror 
to  spare  their  property. 

4.  Among  this  number  was  Virgil  the  poet,  to  whom  mankind 
owe  more  obligations  than  to  a  thousand  conquerors.  In  humble 
terms  he  begged  permission  to  retain  his  patrimonial  farm.  Virgil 
obtained  his  request,  but  his  neighbors,  the  unfortunate  countrymen 
of  Mantua  and  Cremona,  were  turned  out  of  their  possessions  without 
ceremony. 

5.  Italy  and  Rome  now  suffered  great  misery.  The  insolent 
soldiery  plundered  at  will,  while  Sextus  Pompey,  the  enemy  of  the 
triumvirs,  being  master  of  the  sea,  cut  off  all  foreign  intercourse,  and 
prevented  the  importation  of  the  usual  supplies  of  corn.  To  these 
woes  were  soon  added  another  civil  war. 

6.  Lucius,  the  brother,  and  Fulvia,  the  wife,  of  Antony,  raised  a 
faction  against  Octavius,  respecting  the  division  of  the  lands.     The 


CX[.  —  1.  How  was  Antony  enslaved  t)y  Cleopatra?  2.  What  of  Ociavlus  in  Italy  1 
8.  What  distress  was  caused  by  him  ?  4.  What  of  Virgil  ?  5.  What  was  the  conditio0 
v'' Italy  :    6.  What  of  Lucius  and  Fulvia  ? 


; 


OCTAVIUS  AND  ANTONY. 


151 


dissension  soon  led  to  hostilities.  Lucius  put  himself  at  the  head  of 
a  biMJy  of  forces ;  but  Octavius,  having  a  superior  force,  hemmed  him 
in  between  two  armies,  and  compelled  him  to  retreat  to  Perusia, 
where  he  was  starved  into  a  surrender.  On  this  occasion  Octavius 
behaved  with  great  cruelty  ;  he  caused  three  hundred  of  the  senators 
of  Perusia  to  be  sacrificed  on  an  altar  erected  to  the  memory  cf  Julius 
CKsar.  /^ —      r^,         J 


JG 


^4^ 


CHAPTER  CXU. 
Octavius  and  Antwiy. 


C7/- 


.■4        ' 


/ 


1.  Antony,  hearing  of  his  brother's  overthrow,  left  Egypt  a»id 
hastened  homeward.  At  Athens  he  met  his  wife,  whom  he  blamed 
for  having  stirred  up  the  late  disorders,  and  treated  with  great  con- 
tempt. Leaving  her  upon  her  death-bed,  he  crossed  over  to  Italy, 
and  nuii  the  army  of  Octavius  at  Brundusium. 

2.  A  sanguinary  conllict  was  expected  ;  but  a  negotiation  was 
opened  between  the  two  generals,  and  a  treaty  followed.  All  offences 
and  alfronts  were  mutually  forgiven,  and,  to  cement  the  union,  a  mar- 
riage w:ts  concluded  between  Antony  and  Octavia,  the  sister  of  Octa- 
vius. A  new  division  of  the  empire  was  then  made,  —  the  west  was 
assigned  to  Octavius,  the  east  to  Antony,  and  Africa  to  Lepidus. 

3.  An  agreement  was  also  made  witii  Sextus  Pompey,  by  which 
he  was  perniitted  to  retain  all  the  islands  in  his  possession,  together 
with  Pelopoimesus.  But  the  mutual  jealousies  of  the  triumvirs  ren- 
dered peace  of  short  duration.  Octavius  expelled  Pompey  from 
Sicily,  and  compelled  him  to  seek  refuge  in  the  east,  where  he  was 
put  to  death  by  one  of  Antony's  lieutenants. 

4.  He  also  deprived  Lepidus  of  all  his  power,  and  took  possession 
of  his  provinces.  The  only  obstacle  that  remained  in  the  way  of  his 
ambition  was  Antony,  whom  he  resolved  to  remove  at  all  hazards. 
He  began  by  rendering  his  character  as  contemptible  as  possible  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Roman  people,  and  in  this  design  he  was  assisted  by  the 
follies  of  Antony  himself. 

5.  The  latter  had  undertaken  an  expedition  against  the  Parthians 
with  a  prodigious  army,  but  was  forced  to  return,  after  sutTering 
heavy  losses.  Having  degraded  himself  by  this  disastrous  attempt, 
lie  i)lunged  into  dissipation  at  Alexandria,  and  seemed  to  lose  all 
-egard  for  his  character  in  the  blandishments  of  Cleopatra,  wno 
itudied  every  art  to  augment  his  passion  and  vary  his  amusements. 

0.  Not  content  with  sharing  with  her  all  the  delights  which  Egypt 
could  afford,  Antony  was  resolved  to  enlarge  his  sphere  of  luxury  by 
granting  her  some  of  those  kingdoms  which  belonged  to  the  Roman 
dominion.     He  gave  her  all  Phcenicia,  Cailo-Syria  and  Cypms,  with 


CXII.  —  1.  What  of  Antony  and  his  wife  ?  2.  How  w«re  Antony  and  Octavius  recon- 
ciled? 3.  What  of  Sextus  Pompey?  4.  Of  Lepidus?  How  did  Octavius  proceec 
against  Antony  ?  5.  What  of  the  Parthians?  6.  What  did  Antony  bestow  upon  Clcc 
paira ?    7.  How  did  the  Romans  regard  this  conduct? 


U^ 


152 


QUARREL  OF  OCTAVIUS  \ND  ANTONV. 


a  ^eat  part  of  Cilicia,  Arabia  and  Judea.  These  were  Hfts  which 
he  had  no  right  tc  bestow,  but  Antony  foolishly  pretended  to  grant 
them  in  innitation  oi  Hercules.  ^ 

hJ'J^''^  complication  of  vice  and  folly,  Antony's  debaucheries,  and 
his  slavery  to  tJie  caprices  of  an  abandoned  woman,  completely  dis- 
gusted his  friends  m  Egypt,  and  many  of  them,  deserting  liim,  carried 
such  accounts  ot  Ins  disgraceful  conduct  to  Rome  that  he  lost  all  hii 
partisans  in  the  city,  and  a  decree  was  passed  depriving  him  of  Yia 
olnce  01  consul.  r        a  ■« 


CHAPTER  pXIIIJ 
Quarrel  of  Octavius  and  Antcmj. 

1.  Octavius  reaped  his  advantage  from  all  these  events.  Finding 
Uie  Romans  sufficiently  irritated  against  Antony,  he  sent  his  sister 
Uctavia,  with  the  ostensible  purpose  of  reclaiming  him,  but  in  reality 
to  give  a  sulhcient  pretext  for  coming  to  an  open  rupture  with  his 
rival,  as  he  was  confident  that  she  would  be  dismissed  with  contempt 
by  him.  * 

2.  Antony  was  at  Leucopolis,  in  Caria,  absorbed  in  his  revels  with 
the  Egyptian  queen,  when   he  heard  of  the  approach  of  his  wife 
Ihis  was  unwelcome  news  both  to  him  and  Cleor)atra.     The  latter' 
fearing  the  charms  of  her  rival,  studied  to  convince  Antony  of  tbi 
strength  of  her  passion  by  a  well-feigned  melancholy. 

3.  Her  artifices,  together  with  the  ceaseless  flattery  and  impor- 
unity  of  her  partisans,  prevailed  so  far  upon  Antony's  weakness  that 

he  sent  orders  for  Octavia  to  return  home,  without  seeing  her.     This 
insult  was  completed  by  the  resolution,  which  he  shortly  after  adopted 
to  make  Cleopatra  his  wife.  ^ 

4.  In  pursuance  of  this  design,  on  their  return  to  Alexandria,  ho 
assembled  the  people  in  the  public  theatre,  where  he  caused  to  be 
erected  an  alcove  of  silver,  under  which  were  placed  two  thrones  oi 
gold,  one  for  himself  and  the  other  for  the  queen.  Here  he  took  his 
seat,  dressed  as  Bacchus,  while  Cleopatra  sat  beside  him,  clothed  iij 
the  ornaments  and  attributes  of  Isis,  the  principal  deity  of  the  Effvo- 
tians.  •'  ^^^ 

5.  On  this  occasion  he  proclaimed  her  queen  of  all  the  countries 
which  he  had  formerly  bestowed  on  her,  and  associated  C^sario,  her 
M)n  Dy  Ju  lus  Caisar  as  partner  in  the  government.  To  the  two 
children  whir,h  she  had  borne  to  himself,  he  gave  the  title  of  king  of 
kings,  with  very  .arge  dominions.  To  crown  his  absurdities,  he  then 
Bent  a  minute  account  of  his  proceedings  to  the  con^ils  at  Rome, 

.    H*K^*^''i"^  "'''''  '^^'}%''  ^^'■"'^''  declaration  of  war  against  Antony, 
and  both  sides  prepared  for  a  contest  which  was  to  give  a  single  mas 


CXIII.  —  1.  What  was  done  by  Ociaviu3  with  hi<5  Hi«»tpri     9  i    ixtko.  »..  a   . 
C.eopaira?    4,5.  What  ceremony    tc«.k   pC  at  Smlri    i     fi    Wh-?^  .f"^^^^^ 
ue» ween  Octavius  and  Antony  ;    ?.  What^ere  the  Ws  o^^^^^^^^  "'  ^"^   ^^ 


BATTLE  OF  AUTIUM. 


153 


icrto  the  whole  Roman  world.     Their  arniies  were  suitable  to  ths 
greatness  of  the  object  for  which  they  contended. 

7.  Antony  had  the  most  numerous  forces,  comprising  all  the  mili- 
tary strength  of  the  east.  His  army  numbered  a  hundred  thousand 
foot  and  twelve  thousand  horse,  and  his  fleet  amounted  to  five  hun- 
dred ships  of  war.  The  forces  of  Octavius  were  superior  in  discipline, 
a  id  equal  in  strength  of  cavalry,  to  those  of  Antony,  but  the  infantry 
compriged  but  eighty  thousand  men,  and  the  fleet  but  two  hundred 
and  fifty  sliips ;  the  latter,  however,  were  better  built  and  manned 
ihan  those  of  Antony. 


CHAPTER  ^CXIVI 

Battle  of  Actium, 

1.  The  rival  fleets  and  armies  were  at  length  assembled  on  the 
opposite  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Ambracia,  in  Epirus,  near  which  stood 
the  city  of  Actium.  For  several  months  they  remained  in  view  of 
each  other,  without  coming  to  a  decisive  engagement.  At  length 
Antony,  instigated  by  Cleopatra,  formed  the  resolution  of  trusting  to 
the  success  of  a  naval  battle. 

2.  He  ranged  his  fleet  before  the  mouth  of  the  gulf,  and  Octavius, 
or  more  properly  Agrippa,  who  commanded  in  his  name,  drew  up  his 
ships  in  opposition.  The  two  land  armies  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the 
gulf  formed  themselves  as  spectators  of  the  conflict,  and  encouraged 
the  fleets,  by  their  shouts,  to  engage. 

3.  The  battle  began  on  both  sides  in  an  unusual  manner.  The 
prows  of  the  ships  were  armed  with  brazen  beaks,  with  which  it  was 
customary  to  drive  furiously  against  each  other.  But  Antony's 
vessels,  being  large,  unwieldy,  and  ill-manned,  were  incapable  of  the 
necessary  swiftness,  while  those  of  Octavius,  from  the  lightness  of 
their  construction,  would  not  stand  the  rude  encounter. 

4.  The  struggle,  therefore,  took  the  character  of  a  land-fight,  the 
ships  running  alongside  each  other.  The  men  fought  hand  to  hand 
with  great  ardor  for  a  long  time,  and  the  success  appeared  doubtful 
But  on  a  sudden  Cleopatra  turned  the  fortune  of  the  day.  Struck 
with  a  sudden  panic,  she  tacked  about  with  her  Egyptian  squadron 
of  sixty  sail,  and  fled  from  the  engagement. 

5.  Antony,  regardless  of  his  character  as  a  warrior,  immediately 
fled  after  her,  abandoning  his  men,  who  had  so  bravely  exposed  their 
lives  in  his  cause.  The  battle,  notwithstanding,  continued  till  even- 
ing, when  Antony's  forces  were  partly  subdued  by  the  skill  of 
Agrippa,  and  partly  persuaded  to  submit  by  the  liberal  promises  of 
Octavius. 

G.  The  army  of  Antony  could  not  believe  in  the  flight  of  their  gen- 
eral, and  held  out  for  a  week,  in  expectation  of  his  returning  to 'joir 


C^XIV.  —  1.  Where  -lid  the  rival  fleets  and  armies  jneet  ?     2.  How  did  they  prepare  fo{ 
hilUe?    3  How  did  the  battle  begin?    4.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Cleopatra?    5.  W  »i 


154 


r  LKiHT  OF  ANTONY. 


ihem  ;  but  hearin<r  no  tidings  of  him,  and  being  deserted  by  theii 
Bilics,  they  made  terms  witli  the  conqueror. 

7.  When  Cleopatra  fled,  Antony  pursued  her  in  a  single  ship 
Coming  up  with  her  vessel,  he  entered  it  without  showing  any  desiro 
to  see  her.  She  was  in  the  stern,  and  he  went  to  the  prow,  where 
he  remained  silent  and  melancholy.  In  this  manner  he  passed  three 
da}s,  during  which,  either  from  indignation  or  shame,  he  neither  saw 
noi   spoke  to  Cleopatra.     After  this,  however,  the  queen's  female 

attendants  reconciled  them,  and  they  lived  in  fri^dJy  intercourse  as . 

oefore.  ^^  -         ^■ 


CHAPTER  CXV. 

Flight  of  Antony. 


I 


1.  Antony,  supposing  that  his  army  continued  faithful  to  him, 
Bent  orders  to  conduct  it  to  Asia.  But  on  his  arrival  in  Egypt,  he 
fearned  that  it  had  joined  Octavius  ;  this  so  transported  him  with 
rage  that  he  was  with  difficulty  restrained  from  killing  himself. 
Cleopatra  disjdayed  more  firmness  than  her  lover.  Having  amassed 
a  large  quantity  of  treasure,  she  formed  a  project  to  convey  her  fleet 
across  the  Isthmus  of  Suez  into  the  Red  Sea,  and  escape  to  some 
distant  region  beyond  the  power  of  Rome. 

2.  This  scheme  was  partly  carried  into  eflJect,  and  a  number  of 
vessels  were  launched  in  the  Red  Sea  ;  but  these  were  attacked  and 
burnt  by  the  Arabs,  and  the  queen  was  compelled  to  abandon  a  design 
so  full  of  difficulties.  Cleopatra  then  commenced  fortifying  the 
avenues  to  her  kingdom,  and  making  preparations  for  war.  She  also 
negot  uted  for  foreign  assistance  from  the  princes  in  alliance  with 
Antony. 

3.  While  she  was  thus  employed,  Antony  exhibited  the  most 
lamentable  weakness.  At  first  he  affected  to  imitate  Timon  the 
misanthrope,  and  shut  himself  up  without  either  friend  or  domestic. 
But  his  natural  temper  did  not  allow  him  to  remain  long  in  this  state, 
and  quitting  his  cell,  he  gave  himself  up  to  feasting  and  every  kind 
of  extravagance. 

4.  In  the  mean  time  the  forces  of  Octavius  advanced  on  each  side 
ol  Egypt.  Cornelius  Gallus  took  possession  of  Paretonium,  which 
was  the  key  of  the  country  on  the  west.  Antony  hastened  with  his 
fleet  and  army  to  check  his  progress,  but  was  compelled  to  retire  with 
great  loss.  Pelusium,  the  chief  fortress  on  the  eastern  side,  surren- 
dered to  Octavius  at  the  first  summons. 

5.  Octavius  now  advanced  upon  Alexandria.  Antony  posted  his 
troops  upon  a  rising  ground  near  the  city,  from  whence  he  sent  orders 
to  his  fleet  to  engage  the  enemy.     He  waited  to  be  a  spectator  of  the 

iif  Antony?    6.  What  of  Antony's  army?    7.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Antony  and 
Cleopatra  in  their  flight  ? 

CXV. —  1.  What  was  the  hehavior  of  Antony  in  Egypt  ?  WWat  of  Cleo|)aira?  2 
What  of  her  project  to  escape?  3.  What  of  Antony's  weakne^ie  4—6.  Utmcribe  ih* 
tuviMimi  of  Ej?ypt  'oy  Ociaviua. 


\ 


DEATH  OF  ANTONY. 


15« 


oumbat,  and  a  first  he  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  his  galleys  advance 
in  good  order.  But  his  joy  was  soon  turned  into  rage  when  he 
beheld  them  salute  those  of  Octavius,  and,  both  fleets  uniting,  sail 
back  into  the  harbor. 

6.  At  the  same  moment  his  cavalry  deserted  him.  He  tried,  how- 
ever, to  lead  on  his  infantry ;  but  these  were  easily  vanquished ,  and 
Antony  was  compelled  to  return  to  the  city.  Overcome  with  rage 
and  fury,  he  ran  about  exclaiming  that  "  Cleopatra  had  betrayed  him, 
when  he  had  ruined  his  fortunes  for  her  sake  alone."  In  this  suspi- 
cion he  was  not  deceived,  for  it  was  by  the  secret  orders  of  the  queen 
that  the  fleet  passed  over  to  the  enemy. 


CHAPTER  CXVI. 

Death  of  Antony, 

1.  Cleopatra  had  for  a  long  time  dreaded  the  efl^ects  of  Antony's 
jealousy,  and  had  studied  the  means  of  securing  herself  against  it. 
Near  the  temple  of  Isis  she  had  erected  a  building  which  was  appa- 
rently designed  for  a  sepulchre.  To  this  place  she  removed  her  most 
valuable  treasures,  covering  them  with  torches,  fagots,  and  other 
combustible  materials. 

2.  She  designed  this  retreat  for  a  double  purpose,  to  escape  from 
the  sudden  resentment  of  Antony,  and  to  defend  herself  from  Octavius 
by  threatening  to  burn  all  her  treasure  unless  he  granted  her  favorable 
terms  of  capitulation.  She  now  retired  to  this  place,  shut  the  gates, 
and  gave  orders  to  have  it  reported  that  she  was  dead. 

3.  The  news  soon  reached  Antony,  and  aroused  all  his  former  pas- 
sion for  Cleopatra.  In  a  paroxysm  of  grief  he  exclaimed,  "  Miserable 
man  that  I  am !  what  is  there  now  worth  living  for,  since  all  that 
could  soothe  or  soften  my  cares  is  departed  ?  O  Cleopatra !  our 
separation  does  not  so  much  afilict  me  as  the  disgrace  I  suflfer  in  per- 
mitting a  woman  to  instruct  me  how  to  die  !" 

4.  He  then  called  one  of  his  freedmen,  named  Eros,  whom  he  haxl 
engaged  by  oath  to  kill  him  whenever  fortune  should  drive  him  to 
this  last  resource.  He  now  commanded  him  to  perform  his  promise. 
The  faithful  follower  drew  his  swprd  as  if  about  to  strike  the  blow, 
v^hen,  turning  his  face,  he  plunged  it  into  his  own  bosom,  and  droppeo 
d«;ad  at  his  master's  feet. 

5.  Antony  ])aused  for  a  moment  over  the  body  of  his  trusty  servant, 
in  admiration  of  this  mark  of  attachment.  Then,  snatching  up  the 
£word,  he  stabbed  himself,  and  fell  backward  on  a  couch.  Tlie 
wound  was  mortal,  yet  the  blood  stopping,  he  partly  recovered  his 
spirits,  and  entreated  those  who  rushed  to  his  assistance  to  put  an 
end  to  his  life  ;  i)ut  they  all  fled,  seized  with  astonisliment  and  terror. 


CXVI.  —  1.  Where  diil  Cleofulra  secure  her  treasure.s?    2.  What  was   <w  daiigpl 
•,  4.   What  of  Antony  and  Kros?     5—8.  Describe  the  dealli  of  Antony. 


iOO 


DEATH  OF  CLEOPATRA. 


6.  Antony  remained  in  this  miserable  condition  till  he  was  mfoimed 
tha*  the  queen  was  alive,  and  wished  to  have  him  brought  to  the 
monument  in  which  she  had  taken  shelter.  He  was  a'ccordingly 
carried  to  that  place ;  Cleopatra,  who  was  accompanied  only  by  two 
of  her  women,  dared  not  to  open  the  gate,  but  from  the  window 
she  threw  down  cords,  with  which  Antony  was  drawn  up. 

7.  Bathed  in  blood,  he  held  out  his  hands  to  the  queen,  and  faintly 
endeavored  to  raise  himself  from  the  couch  on  which  he  had  been 
laid.  Cleopatra  gave  way  to  sorrow,  tore  her  clothes,  beat  her 
breast,  and  kissing  the  fatal  wound  of  Antony,  called  him  her  hus- 
band, her  lord  and  emperor.  Antony  entreated  her  to  moderate  the 
transports  of  her  grief,  and  to  preserve  her  life  if  it  could  be  done  with 
honor. 

8.  "  As  for  me,"  said  he,  "  lament  not  my  misfortunes,  but  con- 
gratulate me  upon  the  happiness  which  I  have  enjoyed.  I  have  lived 
the  greatest  and  most  powerful  of  men,  and  though  I  fall,  my  fate  is 
not  Ignominious.  A  Roman  myself,  it  is  by  a  Roman  I  am  at  laM 
overcome  !"     Having  said  this,  he  expired. 


CHAPTER   CXVH. 
Death  of  Cleopatra, 

1.  Proculeius  now  made  his  appearance,  by  command  of  Octavius, 
who  had  been  informed  of  Antony's  desperate  conduct.  He  wa.s 
sent  to  try  all  means  of  getting  Cleopatra  into  fiis  power.  Octaviua 
had  a  double  motive  for  his  solicitude  on  this  occasion.  One  was  to 
prevent  her  destroying  the  treasures  in  the  mo.riment,  and  the  other 
was  to  preserve  her  person  as  an  ornament  to  grace  his  triumph. 

2.  The  queen,  however,  was  upon  her  guarH.  and  refused  to  hold 
intercourse  with  Proculeius  except  through  the  gate,  which  was  well 
secured.     At  length,  by  means  of  a  ladder,  an  entrance  was  obtained 
through   the  window,  -ind  Cleopatra,   finding  she  was  a  orisoiipr 
attempted  to  stab  herself,  but  the  poniard  was  wrested  from  her         ' 

3.  Octavius  gave  orders  to  treat  her,  in  e\ery  respect,  with  the 
deference  and  submission  due  to  her  rank.  Cleopatra  seems  to  have 
entertained  some  hope  of  obtaining  the  same  influence  over  Octavius 
that  she  had  exercised  over  Antony,  but  she  found  him  insensible  to 
her  charms 

4.  At  length  she  received  secret  information  that  within  three  days 
6he  was  to  be  sent  with  her  children  to  Rome,  to  grace  the  triumph 
of  her  conqueror,  bhe  therefore  determined  to  die  ;  and  first,  throw- 
ing  herself  upon  Antony's  coffin,  she  bewailed  her  captivity,  and 
renewed  her  protestations  not  to  survive  him.     Having  lathed  and 


ESTABLISHMExNT  OF  THE  POWEK  OF  AUGUSTUS.  J57      ^ 

ml^er  ^  ^''"'P^''''''^  banquet,  she  attired  herself  in  the  most  splendid 

5.  After  partaking  of  the  banquet,  she  commanded  all  except  her 
two  women  to  leave  the  apartment.  In  the  mean  time  she  had  con- 
trived to  have  an  asp  secretly  conveyed  to  her  in  a  basket  offices,  and 
then  wrote  to  Octavius,  informing  him  of  her  fatal  purpose!' and 
desiring  to  be  laid  in  the  same  tomb  with  Antony 

6.  Octavius,  on  receiving  the  letter,  instantly  despatched  messen- 
gers, in  hopes  to  check  her  de.:gn,  but  they  arrrved  L  late.  Tpo^ 
entering  the  chamber,  they  beheld  the  queen  lying  dead  upon  her 
couch,  arrayed  in  her  royal  robes.  Ira^,  one  of  her  faithfuf  aUend' 
ants,  was  stretched  lifeless  at  the  feet  of  her  mistress,  and  Charmlon, 

head         '  """'"^^  '  "^"^  P^^'^"^  '^^  ^^^^""^  ^"  Cleopatra^ 

rhl*rmin^\''-'"u''v  "^  '?"^  ""vW  messengers,  "is  this  well  done, 
Charmion  ?  Yes,"  replied  she,  -  it  is  well  done.     Such  a  death 

is  becoming  a  glorious  queen,  descended  from  a  race  of  glorious 
ancestors !"     W  ith  these  words,  she  fell  and  expired,  30,  B.  C 

8.  hgypt  was  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  Roman  province,  and 
the  enormous  wealth  which  had  been  accumulated  by  the  sovereigns 
of  that  country,  was  seized  by  Octavius  and  transported  to  Rome, 
where  the  senate  saluted  him  by  the  name  of  Augustus.  This  title 
was  at  first  only  personal,  but  afterwards  it  was  assumed  by  the 
Roman  emperors  on  attaining  the  dignity  of  the  purple^^.^ 

C^, 

CHAPTER  )cX?IIl]         ^        / 

Establishment  of  the  Poioer  of  Augustus,  A,  D,  30. 

1.  The  liberty  of  Rome  was  now  gone  -forever,  and  the  citizens 
made  no  further  effort  to  recover  their  republican  constitution.  In 
tact  the  political  freedom  of  the  people  wa^  destroyed  at  the  deatp 
ot  the  Gracchi ;  all  the  subsequent  civil  dissensions  were  contests  for 
power  between  different  sections  of  the  oligarciiy, 

2  The  people,  weary  of  the  oppressions  of  the  aristocratic  parties, 
gladly  sought  shelter  in  the  sway  of  a  single  master.  The  ancient 
spirit  ot  the  Romans,  and  those  characteristic  marks  that  distinguished 
M:em  from  other  nations,  were  now  totally  lost. 

3  The  city  was  inhabited  by  a  motley  population,  collected  from 
all  the  quarters  of  the  world,  and  being  thus  deficient  in  just  patriotic 
pnnciples,  was  much  better  fitted  for  a  monarchy  than  a  republic 

4.  Augustus,  as  he  was  now  called,  became  master  of  the  Roman 
^orld  by  the  overthrow  of  Antony  ;  the  senate  confirmed  his  eleva- 
tion by  conferring  upon  him  unanimously  the  entire  authority  of  tho 
government.      Ihe  civil  and  foreign  wars  now  bein.r  all  at  an  end 


CX\1I.-1  What  of  Proculeius?  2.  How  was  Cleopatra  tf.ken  7  3.  What  were  hw 
tJ^^Jr''-,  i  ^^  hat  of  her  being  carried  toRomeJ  5-7.  Describe  [« 'leath  " 
w  hal  followed  this  event ) 


CXVIII.  --  1    Wha.  now  was  the  state  of  Roman  liberty  ?    2.  O'*  the  neonie  't    a  *#f 
ihe  city?     1.  Wh.a  w..,^;^he  p-.wer  of  Augustus?    5.  The  state    f  Ue'lSLn  i^Zu 


15S 


ROMAN   LITEIIATURE  DURING  THE  SECOND  PERIOU. 


.i\e  temple  of  Janus  was  once  more  shut,  and  Rome  enjoyed  a  peac* 
with  all  mankind. 

5.  It  is  remarkable  that  durintr  the  violent   internal  dissensions 
which  had  overthrown  the  ancient  government  of  Rome,  and  amid  all 
the  bloodshed  and  devastation  of  civil  war,  the  state  was  daily  gnnv 
mg  more  formidable  and  powerful,  and  was  able  to  subjugate  every 
foreign  nation  that  attempted  to  oppose  it. 

6.  Augustus  gained  the  sovereign  power  by  his  army,  but  he 
resolved  to  govern  it  by  the  senate.  This  body,  though  greatly  fallen 
from  its  ancient  splendor,  he  knew  to  be  the  best  constituted,  and 
most  remarkable  for  wisdom  and  justice,  of  all  the  various  orders  in 
the  Roman  commonwealth. 

7.  To  the  senate,  therefore,  he  gave  the  chief  power  in  the  admin- 
istration of  his  government,  while  he  secured  the  fidelity  of  the  people 
and  the  army  by  donations  and  acts  of  favor.  By  these  means  he 
caused  the  odium  of  severity  to  fall  upon  the  senate,  while  the  popu- 
larity of  pardon  was  solely  his  own. 

8.  Thus  restoring  a  certain  degree  of  splendor  to  the  senate,  and 
discountenancing  corruption,  he  pretended  to  reserve  to  himself  a  very 
moderate  share  of  authority,  to  which  none  could  object,  namely,  the 
power  to  compel  all  ranks  of  the  state  to  do  their  duty. 

9.  This  was,  in  fact,  retaining  the  absolute  control  of  the  common- 
wealth in  his  own  hands,  but  the  ignorant  people  looked  upon  his 
moderation  with  astonishment.  They  believed  themselves  restored  to 
th<.ir  former  freedom,  and  the  senate  imagined  their  ancient  power 
reestablished  in  everything  but  the  tendency  to  injustice. 

JO.  It  was  even  said  that  the  Rom.ans,  by  such  a  government,  lost 
nothing  of  the  happiness  which  liberty  could  secure  to  them  and 
were  exicmpt  from  all  the  evils  which  it  could  occasion. 


CHAPTER 


Roman  Literature  during  the  Second  Period, 

1.  \^  c  have  seen  that  during  the  era  of  the  kings  nothing  deserv- 
ing the  name  of  literature  existed  among  the  Romans.  The  same 
may  be  ««aid  of  the  early  ages  of  the  republic.  The  people  were  at 
this  tin.e  too  much  engrossed  by  war,  and  their  prevailing  taste 
inclined  too  strongly  towards  conquest  and  the  extension  of  their 
power,  to  allow  any  considerable  leisure  or  patronage  to  the  arts  of 
peace. 

2.  Subsequently,  however,  when  the  Romans  had  attained  to 
security  and  opulence,  and  had  been  led  by  their  very  conqu(^sts  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences  existing  in  the  conijuered  coun* 
tries,  they  began  to  patronize  and  cultivate  them. 


dt:rin2  the  civil  wars?    6.  Of  the  army  and  the  senate  ?    7.  How  did  Augustus  treat 
these  two  bodies?    8.  Wliat  of  his  own  power?    'J.  What  did  the  jwuple  and  senate 
think-  of  themselves?     10.  What  wa.s  said  of  the  governn)ent  of  Rome? 
CXiy.  —  1.  What  of  early  Roman  literature  ?    2.  What  was  the  eftiect  of  the  Konian 


ftOMA^   LITKRATURE  DURING  THE  SECOND  PERIOD.  I/»9 

3.  The  firet  intercourse  of  the  Romans  whh  the  Greeks  acquainted 
.liem  with  the  productions  of  Grecian  taste  and  art,  and  excited  a 
desire  of  imitating  them.  This  was  properly  the  origin  of  Roman 
tfterature.  1  here  was  something,  however,  more  national  in  the  firs* 
\ide  attempt  of  the  Romans  at  dramati-^  composition 

4.  About  the  end  of  the  fourth  century  from  the  foundation  of  tht 
rity  a  plagu-  broke  out  at  Rome.  The  senate,  having  exhausted 
fc^ithout  effect  their  own  superstitious  ceremonies,  decreed  that  the 
histrioms  or  play-actors,  should  be  summoned  from  Etruria,  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  the  gods  by  their  scenic  representations. 

5.  Whether  the  Roman  legislators  actually  trusted  to  this  proceed- 
ing  as  a  divine  remedy,  or  only  resorted  to  it  with  the  sagacious 
design  of  amusing  the  populace  in  their  melancholy  condition  bv  a 
novel  entertainment,  cannot  now  be  known  ;  but  the  Etruscan  actors 
were  called  to  play  at  Rome.  Their  performances  consisted  chiefly 
ot  rude  dances  and  gesticulations,  accompanied  by  the  flute.  Some 
kiiKi  of  a  story  was  represented  by  pantomimes,  but  there  appears  to 
rave  been  no  dialogue.  ^ 

f>.  This  whimsical  sort  of  religious  expiation  seems  to  have  had  a 

part   at  least,  of  its  designed  effect.     The  multitude  were  amused  , 

he  fancy  of  the  Roman  youths  was  strongly  roused,  and  they  imitated 

llie  l^truscan  actors  ;  improving  on  the  entertainment  by  rallvina  each 

other  in  jocose  and  extempore  dialogue. 

7.  About  the  same  time,  the  Fescennine  verses,  originally  em 
ployed  in  Etruria  at   the   harvest-home   of  the  peasantry,   became 
applied  by  the  Romans  to  marriage  ceremonies  and  pubhc  diversions 
1  here  were  also  songs  of  triumph  in  a  rude  measure,  which  were  sunrr 
by  the  soldiers  at  the  ovations  of  their  leaders ;  some  of  these  lauda- 
tory strains  were  seasoned  with  coarse  jokes  and  camp  jests.    ' 

8  Afterwards  these  effusions  expanded  into  ballads,  in  which  the 
exploits  of  heroes  and  the  adventures  of  the  Roman  armies  were 
related.  However  numerous  these  may  have  been,  none  of  them 
were  preserved  after  the  Romans  obtained  a  knowledge  of  Greek 
literature.  *^ 

9  A  sudden  improvement  in  the  Latin  language,  and  an  equally 
sudden  advancement  in  taste  and  literature,  was  caused  by  the  con- 
quest of  Magna  Grecia,  and  the  intercourse  opened  to  the  Romans 
with  the  Greek  colonies  of  Sicily.  By  these  events  they  could  not 
fail  to  catch  a  portion  of  Grecian  taste  and  spirit,  or  at  least  to  admire 
the  beautiful  creations  of  Grecian  fancy.  Many  of  the  conqueror^ 
nuriained  in  the  Greek  cities,  while,  on  the  other  Ikuh!,  the  inhabitanlrs 
ot  these  cities,  who  were  most  distmguished  tor  literary  attainments 
axed  ilieir  residence  in.  Rome. 


.onrjucsts?  3  Of  their  intercourse  with  the  Greeks  ?  4.  Of  the  ,  Jague  at  Rome^  5  li.e 
h'Mtrtones  and  ihe.r  p.)rformances  ?  6.  What  influence  did  ihey  have  ?  7  Wha»  of  t  f 
Fesccnrlue  varses,  <fec.  7    8.  Of  ballads  ?    y.  Of  the  c;m.ii.si  of  Magna  Wecia? 


V 


160  LIVIUS  ANDRONICUS— NiEVIUS-  ENNIUS-  PLAUTUS. 


CHAPTER    CXX. 
Livius  Andronicus — NcBvhis — Ennius —  Plautus» 

1.  It  is  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fifth  century  from  the  foundation 
Jt  Rome,  that  we  find  among  its  inhabitants  the  primitive  vestiges  ol 
iterature.  This  appears  earUest  in  the  shape  of  dramatic  poetry. 
Livius  Andronicus,  B.  C.  219,  a  native  of  Magna  Grecia,  was  the 
first  who  attempted  to  establish  at  Rome  a  regular  theatre. 

2.  His  earliest  play  was  represented  about  a  year  after  the  clcise 
'of  the  First  Punic  war.  But  except  the  titles  of  his  pieces,  little 
remains  of  them  at  the  present  dav.  They  continued,  however,  pop- 
ular for  a  long  time  in  Rome,  and  were  read  by  the  boys  at  school 
even  during  the  reign  of  Augustus.  The  plays  of  Livius  appear  to 
have  been  tragedies. 

3.  His  successor,  Naevius,  distinguished  himself  also  as  a  tragic  and 
comic  writer.  He  lampooned  the  elder  Scipio,  and  other  eminent 
citizens,  for  which  he  was  thrown  into  prison,  and  finally  expelled 
from  the  city. 

4.  The  next  writer  of  distinction  is  Ennius,  who  was  born  about 
B.  C.  240,  and  has  generally  received  the  glorioLS  appellation  of  the 
Father  of  Roman  Song.  He  was  a  native  of  Caiabria,  and  served  in 
the  armies  of  the  republic.  To  judge  by  the  fragments  of  his  works 
which  remain,  Ennius  greatly  surpassed  his  predecessors,  not  only  in 
poetical  genius,  but  in  the  art  of  versification. 

5.  He  professed  to  imitate  Homer,  and  tried  to  persuade  the 
Romans  that  the  soul  and  genius  of  that  great  poet  had  revived  in 
him  through  the  medium  of  a  peacock,  according  to  the  process  of 
Pythagorean  transmigration. 

6.  Ennius  made  use  of  the  old  national  ballads  in  the  composhion 
Df  an  epic  poem  called  the  Annals,  which  embodied  the  chief  events 
of  Roman  story  previous  to  his  time.  His  versification  was  rugged, 
but  he  »ccasionally  produced  lines  of  considerable  harmony  and 
beauty,  and  his  conceptions  were  frequently  set  forth  with  energy 
and  spirit.  He  also  attempted  dramatic,  satiric,  and  didactic  poetry  ; 
Dut  only  fragments  of  his  works  remain. 

7.  Plautus,  the  father  of  Roman  comedy,  born  B.  C.  227,  was  a 
V  Titer  of  eminent  talents.  He  had  a  rich  vein  of  wit,  a  happy  inven- 
ti\  n,  and  great  force  of  humorous  expression.  Tlie  Greek  comic 
wi'ters  were  his  chief  models,  and  he  was  particularly  successful  in 
lov^  comedy. 

8  He  is  said  to  have  realized  a  considerable  fortune  by  the  popu- 
lar ih  of  his  plays,  and  to  have  lost  it  in  speculation.  Thus  he  was 
reduced  to  the  necessity  of  working  as  a  common  laborer,  when  a 
famine  at  Rome  diminished  the  general  resort  to  the  theatre. 

9.  The  homely  wit  and  drollery  of  Plautus  were  so  captivating  to 


CXX.  —  1.  What  of  Livius  Andronicus ?  2.  Of  his  plays?  3.  Of  Naeviua?  4.  Of 
Ennius?  5.  Whom  did  he  imitate?  6.  His  Armals,  dec.  7  7.  Of  ^auius)  8.  Hi« 
life)    9.  His  popularity? 


TERENCE  —  LUCRETI  US  —  CATULLUS. 


161 


the  people,  that  his  plays  were  still  favorite  pieces  on  the  Roman 
Btage  even  after  the  more  elegant  performances  of  Terence  began  to 
be  represented.  Moliere,  Shakspeare  and  Dryden  have  copied  f^oro 
Plautus.  ^ , 

CHAPTER  CXXI.     rf  PJt.    /      r  U  c^ 

Tereiice — Lucretius  —  Catullus, 

\  Terence,  the  delight  and  ornament  of  the  Roman  stage,  was  a 
slave,  and  born  at  Carthage,  B.  C.  192.  After  lie  obtained  his  free- 
dom, he  became  the  friend  of  Coelius  and  the  younger  Scipio.  He 
wrote  six  comedies  at  Rome,  after  which  he  went  to  Greece,  and 
never  returned. 

2.  According  to  one  account,  he  perished  at  sea,  on  his  voyage 
back  to  Italy,  with  one  hundred  and  eight  comedies  which  he  had 
translated  from  Menander.  Others  stale  that  having  sent  these 
before  him  by  sea  to  Rome,  they  were  lost  by  shipwreck,  and  h(}  died 
of  grief  in  Arcadia. 

3.  Six  comedies  of  Terence  are  remaining ;  they  are  of  high 
excellence  in  respect  to  the  characters,  the  truth  and  refinement  of  the 
dialogue,  and  the  management  of  the  plot.  He  had  ^ess  invention 
and  less  comic  power  than  Plautus,  but  he  had  more  taste,  a  bet- 
ter style,  and  a  keener  knowledge  of  human  nature.  In  rfjspect 
to  style,  Terence  is  regarded  as  a  model  of  correct  composition. 

4.  Lucretius  was  the  most  remarkable  of  the  Roman  poets,  as  ho 
united  the  precision  of  the  philosopher  with  the  fire  and  fancy  of  the 
oard ;  and  while  he  seems  to  have  had  no  perfect  model  among  the 
Greeks,  he  has  left  a  production  unrivalled  by  anything  of  the  kind 
in  later  ages. 

5.  Lucretius  was  born  about  B.  C.  95.  He  lived  in  a  period  full 
of  important  events,  but  seems  to  have  kept  himself  retired  from 
public  affairs.  He  was  sent,  according  to  the  custom  of  that  time, 
with  other  young  Romans  of  rank,  to  study  at  Athens,  where  he 
attended  on  the  instructions  of  Zeno  and  Phaedrus.  Cicero  was 
among  his  fellow-students. 

6.  Lucretius  is  said  to  have  committed  suicide,  in  the  forty-fourth 
year  of  his  age,  in  a  fit  of  insanity.  His  great  work  is  a  philosophi- 
ca'.  and  didactic  poem,  "  On  the  Nature  of  Things,"  and  contains  a 
full  exposition  of  the  theological,  physical,  and  moral  system  of 
Epicurus.  It  is  a  composition  unrivalled  in  energy  and  richness  of 
language,  and  genuine  sublimity. 

7.  In  the  history  of  Roman  taste  and  criticism,  nothing  appeals 
more  extraordinary  than  the  slight  mention  that  is  made  of  Lucretius 
by  succeeding  Latin  authors.  Perhaps  the  spirit  of  free-thinking 
\vhich  pervaded  his  writings  rendered  it  unsuitable  or  unsafe  to 
extol  even  his  poetical  talents. 


CXXI.  —  L  What  of  Terence?    2.  His   life?    3.  Hw  coiredies?    4.  Of  Lu    eU  ■? 
B.  His  life?    6,7.  Hisp'>em?    8.  Cf  Catullus? 

11 


\ii2 


CATO  THE  ELDER. 


SALLUST 


63 


♦..- 


8.  Catullus  was  born  B.  C.  86.  Little  is  known  of  h's  life,  except 
his  inlimucy  with  Cicero.  He  wrote  odes,  songs,  satires,  elegies  and 
epigrams.  In  literary  merit  he  is  ranked  above  all  the  other  Latin 
poets,  except  Virgil  and  Horace.  His  pieces  have  much  refinement 
of  feeling,  and  grace  of  expression.  The  taste  of  the  age,  however, 
*ras  growing  corrupt,  and  Catullus  was  not  free  from  its  influence 


CHAPTER 


Cato  the  Elder —  Sail  us  t. 


Cato. 

1.  Of  the  Latin  prose-writers  of  the  republican  age,  one  of  the 
L-arliest  whose  wor'i^s  are  extant  is  Cato  the  Elder,  who  was  born 
B.  C.  235.  Like  alm(;^t  all  his  fellow-citizens,  he  was  brought  up 
*o  the  profession  of  arms.  In  the  short  intervals  nf  peace,  he  resided 
during  his  youth  at  a  small  country-house  in  the  Sabine  territory. 

2.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  industrious  habits,  his  frugality,  and 
nis  fondness  for  ao^riculture.  In  the  morning  he  went  to  the  villages 
round  about,  to  plead  and  defend  the  causes  of  those  who  applied  t« 
nim  for  assistance.     He  then  returned  to  his  fie  ds,  where,  with  a 


plain  cloak  over  his  shoulders  in  winter,  and  almost  naked  m  summer, 
he  labored  with  his  servants  till  they  had  concluded  their  task. 

3.  After  this  he  sat  down  with  them  at  table,  eating  the  same 
bread  and  drinking  the  same  wine.  He  thus  became  the  best  farmer 
of  his  age.  He  was,  besides,  employed  in  all  the  more  important  civil 
and  military  offices  of  the  state.  Di^ring  the  greater  part  of  his  life, 
he  showed  the  strongest  dislike  to  the  learning  and  refinement  of  the 
'  J  reeks ;  yet  in  his  old  age  he  began  to  study  the  Greek  language. 

1.  Cato  wrote  history,  orations,  works  on  morals,  education,  med 
icine,  war,  and  other  topics.  All  these  are  lost,  except  a  treatise  on 
farming,  and  some  epistles.  The  former  is  a  composition  destitute 
of  method,  yet  abounding  in  curious  matter.  It  gives  rules  how  to 
buy  land,  how  to  cultivate  it,  how  to  manage  a  house,  how  to  make 
cakes  and  puddings,  fatten  hens  and  geese,  cure  pains  and  disorders, 
&c.,  &c. 

5.  History  among  the  Romans  was  not  written  merely  to  gratify 
curiosity,  but  also  to  stimulate  by  the  force  of  example,  and  urge  on 
the  citizens  of  the  republic  to  emulation  in  warlike  prowess.  Accord- 
ingly they  had  their  annalists  from  the  earliest  period  of  the  consular 
government.  The  works  of  all  the  early  historians,  however,  have 
perished. 

6.  The  most  ancient  whose  writings  are  extant  is  Sallust.  He 
was  born  B.  C.  85,  and  engaged  in  jmlitics  at  an  early  period  of  life. 
In  the  civil  wars  he  took  the  side  of  Cat^sar  against  Pompey,  and  was 
made  governor  of  Numidia,  whr  e  he  enriched  himself  by  plundering 
the  province. 

7.  When  he  n^turned  to  Rome  he  built  a  magnificent  palace  in  the 
suburbs,  which  was  surrounded  by  delightful  pleasure-grounds,  long 
afterwards  celebrated  as  the  Gardens  of  Sallust.  This  palace  became 
the  residence  of  several  of  the  emperors,  and  was  destroyed  by  fire 
when  the  Goths  under  Alaric  took  the  city. 

8.  Sallust  wrote  a  history  of  Rome,  from  the  death  of  Sulla  to  the 
conspiracy  of  Catiline,  which  is  lost,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
fragments.  Two  other  works  of  his,  however,  are  still  extant,  the 
History  of  Catiline's  Conspiracy  and  that  of  the  Jugurthine  War. 
Sallust  adopted  Thucydides  as  his  model.  A  noble  brevity  and  a 
vivid  manner  of  representing  events  are  his  chief  characteristics. 

9.  The  reflections  which  accompany  his  narrative  are  so  just  and 
pointed  that  he  has  been  considered  by  some  as  the  father  of  philo 
sophic  history.  The  characters  drawn  by  him  have  in  all  ages  been 
regarded  as  master-pieces ;  he  has  seized  the  delicate  shades  as  well 
as  the  prominent  features,  and  thrown  over  them  the  most  lively  and 
appropriate  coloring. 


f'XXir.  —  1.  Of  Cato  the  Elder  ?    2,  3.  His  life?    4.  His  work3 
lory  ?    0.  Sallusi  ?    7.  Hia  lile  7    8,  9.  His  history  ? 


b.  0(  Roman  hi* 


i6i 


CICERO. 


CHAPTER   CXXIIl, 


Cicero 

1.  But  the  most  distinguished  writer  of  the  republican  period  was 
< 'icero,  who  excelled  equally  as  a  statesman,  as  an  orator,  and  as  an 
elegant  philosophical  writer.  He  was  bom  at  Arpinum,  in  the 
?nodern  kingdom  of  Naples,  B.  C.  100,  and  received  instructions  in 
oratory  from  Apollonius  Molo,  of  Rhodes.  Ke  also  visited  Athens 
for  study.  After  his  return  to  Rome  he  was  appointed  quaestor,  and 
subsequently  consul. 

2.  In  the  latter  office,  as  we  have  already  seen,  he  rendered  the 
f-late  great  service  by  defeating  the  conspiracy  of  Catiline.  Yet  he 
was  shortly  after  banished  from  Rome,  through  the  influence  of  the 
profligate  tribune  Clodius.  He  voluntarily  withdrew  from  Italy  to 
Greece,  and  was  soon  recalled  in  the  most  honorable  manner. 

3.  In  the  civil  war  he  took  the  side  of  Pompey  against  Caesar,  bul 
after  the  battle  of  Pharsalia  he  was  reconciled  to  the  conqueror. 
Mark  Antony  was  his  bitter  enemy,  and  during  the  last  triumvirate 


CjCSAPv. 


165 


Oicero  was  proscribed  through  his  influence,  and  murdered  by  one  of 
Antony's  emissaries,  B.  C.  43. 

4.  Cicero  was  of  an  amiable  disposition,  and  upright  principlew 
his  failings  were  vanity  and  infinnity  of  purpose  ;  but  he  must  bt 
pronounced,  on  the  whole,  one  of  the  brightest  characters  of  antiquity. 
( 'icero  was  a  voluminous  writer  ;  much  of  vhat  he  left  behind  hiin 
has  been  lost,  yet  enough  remains  to  giv  us  a  high  opinion  of  his 
powers  as  a  writer  and  a  speaker. 

5.  His  works  consist  of  orations,  lett  s,  rhetorical  treatises,  and 
philosophical  dissertations.  Cicero  was  the  greatest  of  Roman  ora 
tors ;  but  he  also  possessed,  in  a  degree  superior  to  all  other  orators, 
of  whatever  age  or  nation,  a  general  and  discursive  acquaintance  with 
philosophy  and  literature,  together  with  an  admirable  facility  in  com- 
municating the  results  of  his  labors  in  a  manner  the  most  copious 
perspicuous  and  attractive. 

6  Cicero  was  an  admirer  of  Plato,  though  in  questions  of  morality 
he  adopted  the  principles  of  the  Stoics.  In  his  philosophical  writings 
he  exliibits  the  opinions  of  all  the  various  sects.  It  was  his  great 
aim  to  explain  to  his  fellow-citizens,  in  their  own  language,  whatever 
the  sagos  of  Greece  had  taught  on  the  most  important  subjects,  in 
order  to  enlarge  their  minds  and  reform  their  morals.  His  writings 
are  a  most  valuable  collection,  and  have  proved  a  mine  of  information 
to  succeeding  ages. 

7.  Julius  Cffisar  must  be  mentioned  among  the  writers  of  the 
republican  age.  His  life  and  character  are  prominent  in  the  history 
of  Rome,  as  we  have  already  seen.  He  wrote  his  Commentaries  on 
the  Gallic  and  Civil  Wars.  These  writings  comprehend  but  a  small 
extent  of  time,  but  they  embrace  events  of  the  highest  importance, 
and  detail  the  greatest  mihlary  operr  .ions,  perhaps,  to  be  found  in 

ancient  story. 

8.  The  military  genius  of  Rome  breathes  through  the  pages  of 
Caesar,  which  comprehend  all  the  varieties  which  warfare  offers  to 
our  interest  and  adtuiration,  —  battles,  encampments,  retreats,  marches 
through  woods  and  over  mountains,  passages  of  rivers,  sieges, 
defences,  and  those  still  more  interesting  accounts  of  the  spirit  and 
discipline  of  the  enemy's  troops  and  the  talents  of  their  generals. 

9.  The  style  of  Cajsar  is  remarkable  for  clearness,  ease,  and  a  sim- 
plicity more  truly  noble  than  the  pomp  of  words.  When  he  speaks 
of  himself,  it  is  without  aflfectation  or  arrogance.  With  the  exception 
of  the  false  colors  in  which  he  disguises  his  ambitious  projects  against 
the  li  ^ertics  of  his  country,  everything  seems  to  be  told  with  fidelity 
and  candor.     Caesar  was  also  the  author  of  other  works,  now  lost. 


CXXIII.  -  1.  Of  Cicero?    2,  3.  His  life?    4.  Hischaracter?    5.  His  works?    1  E«* 
•hilodopb/J    7.  C«MV?    8.  Hiawcacs?    9.  His  style? 


DESCRLPTIOx\  OF  THE  ROMAN   EMPIRE. 

THIRD    PERIOD.  — The  Empifk 


im 


CHAPTER    CXXIV. 


I 


Description  of  the  Roman  Empire, 

1.  At  his  point  of  our  history,  we  must  pause  to  take  a  sun'c;}! 
\\  the  Roman  empire,  which,  under  Augustus,  had  reached  the 
hitjhest  pitch  of  greatness.  The  very  name  of  Rome  calls  up  in  oui 
nu"nd  every  image  of  grandeur,  power,  and  magnificence ;  and  every 
association  connected  with  it  serves  to  concentrate  around  the  Eter-. 
nal  C'ity  a  halo  of  splendor  and  glory. 

2.  The  republic  produced  men  who,  in  moral  dignity  and  force  of 
character,  were  perhaps  never  surpassed  on  earth.  They  had  trans- 
mitted their  names,  if  not  their  virtues,  to  their  descendants.  Even 
to  the  very  close  of  the  empire,  the  men  who,  sunk  in  slavery  and 
baseness,  still  called  themselves  Roman  citizens,  seemed  to  live  in  the 
midst  of  their  shades,  and  to  be  encompassed  by  the  atmosphere  of 
their  glory.  The  laws  had  changed  their  spirit,  but  the  changes  had 
been  slow  and  scarcely  perceptible  to  the  people. 

3.  The  manners  were  no  longer  the  same,  but  the  memory  of  the 
ancient  virtue  of  Rome  still  survived.  The  literature  had  been  pre- 
served with  the  language,  and  it  established  a  community  of  opinions, 
of  feelings,  and  of  prejudices,  between  the  Romans  of  the  age  of 
Virgil  and  those  of  the  time  of  Claudian.  The  magistrates  and 
officers  of  the  state  had  generally  preserved  their  ancient  names  and 
insignia,  although  their  power  had  fled. 

4.  From  the  time  of  Augustus  to  that  of  Constantine,  the  empire 
of  Rome  was  bounded  by  nearly  the  same  frontiers.  This  pernia- 
nence  of  the  national  limits  may  in  part  be  ascribed  to  the  sagacity 
with  which  the  Roman  leaders,  at  the  period  of  her  highest  power, 
voluntarily  stopped  short  in  the  career  of  conquest  where  they  found 
the  best  military  frontiers.  . 

5.  Great  rivers,  which  afford  little  obstacle  to  the  armies  of  civil- 
ized nations,  are  generally  a  formidable  barrier  to  the  incursions  of 
barbarians  ;  and,  in  fact,  great  rivers,  the  ocean,  mountain  ridges  and 
deserts,  formed  natural  frontiers  to  this  immense  empire. 

6.  According  to  a  vague  calculation,  it  has  been  found  that  the 
Roman  territory,  in  its  largest  extent,  measured  eighteen  hundred 
iniles  from  north  to  south,  and  upwards  of  three  thousand  from  east 
to  west.  On  the  north  the  empire  was  bounded  by  the  territories  of 
the  Caledonians  and  Picts,  the  Rhine,  the  Danube,  and  the  Euxine. 
The  Caledonian  wall,  which  divided  Scotland,  left  the  Romans  m 
possession  of  the  lowlands  of  that  country,  and  of  the  whole  of 

Eiij^land. 

7.  The  Rhine  and  the  Danube,  which  rise  nearly  at  the  same 
point,  and  flow,  one  to  the  east  and  the  other  to  the  west,  separated 
barbaric  from  civilized  Europe.  The  Rhine  formed  the  frontier  of 
Gaul,  which  then  comprised  France,  Switzerland,  and  Belgium. 

CXXIV  —1    What  of  the  Roman  empire?    2.  What  of  the  men  of  the  repi'^'J'c  i 
;i   Of  manners  and  literature  ?  4,  5.  What  were  the  boundaries  of  the  empire  1  6  Whai 


16S 


DESCKIPTION   OF  THE  ROMAN   EMPIllK 


8.  The  Danube  flowed  throiiofh  countries,  some  of  vvliich  aie  now 
regarded  as  Germanic  and  otliers  as  Slavonic.  On  its  souinern  bank 
the  Romans  possessed  Rhaetia,  Noricum,  Pannonia,  and  Miesia,  which 
coiijcicje  nearly  with  Suabia,  Bavaria,  part  of  Austria,  Hungary,  and 
Bohemia. 

9.  The  narrow  space  between  the  sources  of  the  Danube  and  the 
Rhine  was  defended  by  a  line  of  fortifications.  The  Black  or  Eux- 
ine  Sea  formed  the  northern  boundary  of  Asia  Minor.  Several 
Greek  colonies  in  the  north  and  east  of  this  region  existed  in  a  pre- 
carious sort  of  dependence  upon  Rome. 

*  10.  On  the  east,  the  empire  was  bounded  by  the  mountains  of  Ar- 
menia, a  part  of  the  Euphrates,  and  the  Arabian  desert.  One  of  the 
loftiest  mountain  ranges  of  the  globe,  the  Caucasus,  extending  from 
the  Euxine  to  the  Caspian,  touching  Thibet  at  one  extremity,  and 
the  central  ridges  of  Asia  Minor  at  the  other,  divided  the  Scythians 
of  Upper  Asia  from  the  Persians  and  Romans. 

11.  The  wildest  part  of  these  mountains  belonged  to  the  Iberians, 
who  maintained  their  independence.  The  more  cultivated  regions 
were  inhabited  by  the  Armenians,  who  submitted  alternately  to  the 
yoke  of  the  Romans,  the  Parthians,  and  the  Persians. 


CHAPTER  TcXXy^ 

Description  of  the  Empire^  continued. 

1.  Along  the  whole  of  the  eastern  boundary,  down  to  the  sandy 
deserts  between  the  Euphrates  and  Syria,  the  frontiers  of  the  empire 
had  not  been  traced  by  the  hand  of  nature.  We  shall  accordinirly 
see  the  two  great  monarchies  of  the  Romans  and  Parthians,  or  tiieii 
successors,  alternately  wresting  from  each  other  the  provinces  of 
Armenia  or  Mesopotamia. 

2.  The  deserts  of  Arabia  formed  the  frontier  of  Syria  for  an  ex- 
tent of  six  hundred  miles.  On  the  south,  the  African  deserts  of 
Libya  and  Sahara,  and  on  the  west,  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  were  at 
once  the  limits  of  the  empire  and  of  what  was  then  regarded  as  the 
habitable  globe.  The  Roman  empire  thus  included  the  fairest  por- 
tions of  the  known  world,  surrounding  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 

3.  The  most  westerly  province  was  Spain,  whose  boundary,  being 
fixed  by  nature,  was  unvaried  during  the  Roman  dominion.  This 
was  the  first  country  out  of  Italy  that  submitted  to  the  Roman  arms, 
but  i  s  final  conquest  baffled  the  eflTorts  of  the  ablest  commanders  lor 
almcst  half  a  century. 

4.  Spain  was  famous  for  its  silver,  whicb  was  so  abundant  thai 
the  most  common  utensils  were  made  of  it.  While  the  Romans 
held  the  country,  they  employed  forty  thousand  men  in  the  mines 


was  the  extent  of  the  empire  ?    7,  8.  What  of  the  Rhine  and  Danube?    9.  Of  the  Eux 
iiie  ''     10    Of  the  eastern  boundaries?     11.  Of  the  nHjrian?  and  Arineniansi? 
CXXV.  —  1.  What  of  Rome  and  Parihia?    2.  Of  the  Arabiai.  and  African  deserla'^ 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  ROMAN  EMPIRE. 


169 


Many  fine  cities  were  erected  here  by  them.  At  Segovia  a  magnifi- 
cent aqueduct  still  remains,  and  is  one  of  the  best  preserved  of  their 
siructures  now  extant 

5.  Gaul  wos  divided  into  three  great  sections.  Belgia,  Aquitania, 
and  Gallia  Propria,  which  differed  considerably  in  language,  man- 
ners, and  customs.  The  superior  valor  of  the  Gallic  tribes  re'ndcret 
them  formidable  to  all  the  southern  nations.  It  was  commonly  said 
that  the  Romans  fought  with  others  for  conquest,  but  with  the  Gauls 
(*^c  actual  existence. 

6  But  from  the  time  of  the  subjugation  of  their  ccnmtry  by  Julius- 
CjEsar,  the  courage  of  the  Gauls  seemed  to  disappear  with  their  lib- 
erty. They  never  revolted  except  when  the  extortions  of  their  ruler? 
became  insupportable,  and  their  eflbrts  were  neither  vigorous  nor 
well-directed. 

7.  In  iio  j>rovincc  did  Roman  civilization  produce  greater  effects 
than  in  Gaul.  Many  public  works,  of  stupendous  size  and  great 
utility,  were  constructed  here.  Roads  were  opened  and  paved  with 
stone,  durabld  b.idges  were  erected,  and  aqueducts  formed  to  supply 
tho  cities  with  water.  Remains  of  these  mighty  works  are  still  to 
be  found,  and  they  cannot  be  viewed  without  wonder  and  admiration. 

8.  Though  Britain  was  not  reduced  to  the  fonri  of  a  Roman 
province  till  long  after  the  time  of  Julius  Casar,  yet  as  that  conquer- 
or brought  it  nominally  under  subjection,  it  may  enter  into  a  general 
description  of  the  Roman  empire.  The  southern  part  of  the  island 
was  originally  colonized  from  Gaul.  The  tribes  that  inhabited  the 
east  and  north  are  thought  to  have  been  of  German  descent. 

9.  That  part  of  Britain  which  now  constitutes  England  was 
anciently  divided  amon^.  seventeen  tribes.  When  this  island  waa 
first  visited  by  the  Romans,  the  inhabitants  had  made  considerable 
advances  in  civilization.  The  country  was  well  peojjled,  and  stocked 
with  cattle.  The  Britons  painted  and  tattooed  their  skins  in  the 
manner  of  the  South  Sea  islanders  of  the  present  day. 

10.  In  war  they  made  use  of  chariots  with  sharp  blades  fixed  to 
the  axle-trees,  which  they  drove  at  full  speed  against  the  hostile 
ranks.  Little  is  known  respecting  their  religion,  except  that  they 
were  under  tlie  influence  of  priests,  called  Druids,  and  that  they 
offered  human  sacrifices  to  the  gods.  This  religion  also  prevailed 
among  the  uncivilized  tribes  of  Gaul. 

U.  Germany  was  a  name  loosely  given  by  the  Romans  to  all  the 
countries  north  of  the  Rhine  and  Danube.  The  Germans  prided 
themselves  on  their  military  virtues,  and  successfully  resisted  the  at- 
tacks of  the  Romans.  Their  religion  seems  to  have  resembled  that 
of  the  Gauls,  except  that  it  was  rather  more  sanguinary,  and  greater 
regard  was  paid  to  oracles  and  old  soothsayers. 

12.  The  j)rovinces  of  Asia  Minor  were  in  general  the  most  tran- 
quil  portions  of  the  empire  ;   and  the  most  prosperous  and  happy 
period  in  the  history  of  this  country  was  that  during  w  hich  it  re 
aiaincd  subject  to  Rome.     Several  of  the  stales  in  this  quarter  were 

3.  Of  Spoil?  4.  Of  its  mines?  5.  Of  Gaul  ?  6.  Ita  suhjiiiraiiiin  ?  7.  Of -ivilizaiior 
1.1  (.i.iul  /  N  Of  Britain?  9.10.  lis  inhabitants?  1)  Of  Germany  7  12.  Of  As'i 
Minor?     <3    Of  trade  and  commerce  under  the  Romans  ' 

J5 


170 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  EMPIRE. 


at  first  permitted  to  retain  a  qualified  independence,  but  before  Ine 
3lose  of  the  first  century  of  the  Christian  era,  they  were  ail  absoibed 
into  the  empire. 

13.  Tlie  Romans  succeeded  in  Asia  to  the  g^reat  commercial  marta 
of  the  Phoenicians,  Greeks,  and  Egyptians,  and  acquired  in  Africa 
the  ancient  trading  stations  of  the  Carthaginians.  Yet  they  made 
jttle  or  no  effort  to  encourage  traffic,  and  opened  no  new  routes  for 
tride. 


CHAPTER   CXXVI. 

Inhabitants  of  the  Empire, 

1.  Throughout  this  huge  assemblage  of  races  and  communities, 
national  recollections  and  national  feelings  were  obliterated  and  sunk 
in  imperial  Rome.  They  were  feebly  replaced  by  two  distinctions 
between  the  inhabitants  of  the  empire,  that  of  language  and  that  of 
rank. 

*2.  The  Latin  language  was  spoken  in  Italy,  Gaul,  Africa,  part  of 
Illyria,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube.  Greek  was  the  language 
o^  almost  all  the  east.  The  great  mass,  however,  of  the  rural  pop- 
ulation had  preserved  their  provincial  languages.  Celtic  was  spoken 
in  Britain  and  the  north  of  Gaul,  Illyrian  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the 
Adriatic.  Syrian,  Coptic,  Armenian,  &c.,  in  other  parts  of  the 
empire. 

3.  Where  the  people  were  the  most  enslaved  they  made  the  great- 
est efforts  to  learn  the  language  of  their  masters.  Tiie  latter,  on 
the  other  hand,  were  compelled  to  make  the  advances  where  the  con- 
quered people  were  the  most  numerous  and  strong.  Throughout  the 
empire,  however,  there  was  a  continual  shifting  of  the  population. 
occasiCmid  by  the  immense  traffic  in  slaves,  the  military  service,  and 
the  exercise  of  civil  functions.  Hence,  every  province  presented  iu 
its  lower  classes  a  strange  mixture  of  dialects. 

4.  Six  classes  of  inhabitants  distinguished  the  period  of  the  em- 
pire. 1.  The  senatorial  families,  proprietors  of  immense  territories 
and  enormous  wealth.  2.  The  inhabitants  of  large  towns,  a  mixture 
of  artisans  and  freed  slaves,  who  lived  on  the  luxury  of  the  rich,  and 
shared  in  their  corruption.  3.  The  inhabitants  of  small  towns,  poor, 
despised  and  oppressed.  4.  Husbandmen.  5.  Slaves.  6.  Banditti, 
who,  to  escape  from  oppression,  took  to  the  woods  and  mountains, 
and  lived  by  robbery. 

5.  The  peasantry  were  rigorously  deprived  of  arms,  and  were  in- 
•••apacitated  from  contributing  to  the  defence  of  the  country.  The  free 
cultivators  possessed  little  of  personal  liberty,  except  tiie  name. 
They  labored  upon  the  soil  for  certain  fixed  wages,  generally  paid  in 
produce  •  but  they  were  separated  from  their  masters,  the  landholders 


CXXVI.  —  1.  What  of  national  character  among  the  8ubje<  ».aof  the  Koman  empire 
'i.  0<  languages?     3.  Of  ilie  mixtures  of  population?    4.  Into  how  many  classes  wer» 
the  people  divided  ?    5.  What  was  the  state  of  the  peasantry  7    6.  Of  the  slaves  7 


niE  CITY  OF  ROME  UNi.ER  AUGUSTUS. 


n\ 


bv  an  impassable  distance.  They  were  immediately  dependent  on 
some  lavorite  slave  oi  freedman,  and  were  subjected  to  every  degrefl 
of  oppression. 


,  Boman  Country  People. 

6.  The  slaves  lived  in  huts,  under  the  eyes  of  their  oversecTS,  like 
the  negroes  on  an  American  plantation.  These  wretched  beings 
were  v/orked  almost  constantly  with  chains  on  their  feet,  and  were 
shut  up  nightly  in  subterraneous  holes.  The  frightful  sutTerings  of 
80  large  a  part  of  the  population,  and  their  bitter  hatred  against  their 
oppressors,  produced  the  natural  consequences  in  the  course  of  time,  — 
servile  insurrections,  plots,  assassinations,  and  poisonings. 


CHAPTER  ^XXVnTlf  y  y. 

The  Citij  of  Rome  under  Augi/stus. 


cx- 


1.  The  city  of  Rome,  during  the  prosperous  days  of  the  cinnire. 
was  unrivalled  for  magnificence,  wealth,  and  luxury.  It  was  en- 
riched by  its  victorious  generals  with  the  spoils  of  a  hundred  nations, 
and  the  treasures  of  the  most  potent  monarchs  were  poured  into  ils» 
ijofTcrs 

2  It  contained  four  hundred  and  twenty  temples,  beside  theatres, 
amphitheatres,  circuses,  and  public  baths  of  vast  extent,  the  ruins  of 
which  at  the>  present  day  strike  every  beholder  with  amazement. 
Some  of  the  baths  were  constructed  of  marble,  and  were  sufficiently 
large  to  accommodate  three  thousand  bathers  at  once. 


CXXVII.  —  1.  What  was  the  state  of  the  ''  y  of  Rrme  in  the  prosperous  tlav3  or  the 


17L> 


THE  CITY  OF  ROME  UNDER  AUGUSTtJ> 


3.  Aqueducts  of  enormous  size  conveyed  a  copioiij  supply  of 
water  from  the  neifrhborinpf  country  into  Rome,  and  kept  in  play  a 
prodigious  number  of  fountains,  many  of  which  were  remarkable  for 
their  archi*.ectural  beauty.  The  palaces,  triumphal  arches,  columns, 
porticos,  and  obelisks,  were  almost  without  number,  and  were  for 
the  most  part  elegant  specimens  of  art. 

4.  The  architectural  splendor  of  the  city  properly  dates  from  the 
reign  of  Augustus,  who  boasted  that  he  *'  found  it  of  brick,  and  left 
it  marble."     Among  the  chief  ornamental  structures  was  the  Capitc  • 
This  was  built  on  the  Capitoline  Hill,  the  highest  part  of  the  cit\ 
and  was  ascended  from  the  forum  by  a  flight  of  one  hundred  steps 
The  gates  were  of  brass,  overlaid  with  gold,  and  the  whole  building 
was  so  plentifully  adorned  in  this  manner  that  it  acquired  the  name 
of  the  "  Golden  Capitol." 


Roman  Forum  and  CapiloL 

5  Tne  Senate  House  was  the  grand  legislative  hall  of  the  nation 
It  was  decorated  with  the  statues  of  eminent  warriors  and  statesmen. 
The  Pantheon,  or  temple  of  all  the  gods,  built  in  the  reign  of  Augus- 
tus, is  now  a  Christian  church,  and  is  the  best  preserved  ancient 
building  in  Rome.  It  is  universally  admired  for  its  fine  dome  and 
portico  The  Circus  Maximus,  and  the  Coliseum,  or  Flavian  Am- 
phith^dtre,  were  enormous  structures,  destined  to  the  combats  of 
gladiators,  and  other  shows. 

6.  In  the  forum  was  the  celebrated  temple  of  Janus,  built  entirelv 
of  bronze.  On  the  Capitoline  Hill  stood  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Capi- 
tolinus,  which  was  regarded  as  the  national  sanctuary  of  the  Romans. 
It  was  constantly  enriched  by  the  oflbrings  of  successful  generals  an:) 


enipire?    2.  Of  its  public  buildings?    3.  Aqueducts?    4.  The  Capiiol  ?    5 
Hdiuse.  Panlhenn.  Circus  }  axinius,  and  Coliseum  ?     6    Temples  ? 


The  feenj«4 


K03IE  UNDER  AUGUSTUS. 


173 


lureign  princes,  who  were  eager  to  conciliate  the  Romans,  Everv 
year  a  nail  was  driven  into  this  te.tiple  by  the  chief  magistrate.  This 
curious  custom  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  rude  method  of 
marking  the  lapse  of  time. 


CHAPTER  |€XXYm3 
Rome  under  Augustus, 

1.  In  the  valley  between  the  Palatine  and  Capitoline  Hills  was  the 
forum,  or  place  of  public  assembly,  and  great  market.  It  was  sur- 
rounded with  halls  for  the  administration  of  justice,  called  basiiic/p, 
temples,  and  public  ofllces.  It  was  also  adorned  with  statues  of 
eminent  Romans,  and  various  trophies  from  conquered  nations. 

2.  Among  these  memorials  of  conquest  were  several  rostra^  or 
prows  of  ships,  taken  from  the  Carthaginians  at  Antium.  These 
were  used  to  ornament  the  pulpits  from  which  the  magistrates  and 
public  officers  harangued  the  general  assemblies  of  the  people.  Thus 
originated  the  phrase,  **  to  mount  the  rostrum." 

3.  The  porticos  or  piazzas  were  very  numerous  at  Rome ;  tln^se 
were  covered  colonnades,  adorned  with  statues,  and  were  designed 
as  places  for  the  citizens  to  meet  for  business  or  walk  for  pleasure. 
They  were  sometimes  separate  structures,  and  sometimes  connected 
with  other  large  buildings.  The  most  splendid  was  that  of  the  tem- 
ple of  Apollo,  on  tiie  Palatine  Hill.  The  largest  bore  the  name  of 
Milliaria^  from  its  thousand  columns. 

4.  The  city  was  adorned  with  triumphal  arches,  having  statues  and 
various  sculptured  ornaments.  Some  of  these  were  very  magnifi- 
cent. They  were  built  of  the  finest  marble,  of  a  square  figure,  with 
a  large  arched  passage  in  the  middle,  and  a  small  one  at  the  sides. 

5.  Tliere  were  large  open  spaces  in  the  city,  designed  for  assem- 
blies of  the  people,  and  for  martial  exercises.  The  Campus  Martins 
was  the  most  famous.  It  was  near  the  Tiber,  and  was  originally  the 
property  of  Tarquin  the  Proud,  but  was  confiscated  after  his  expul- 
sion. In  the  most  flourishing  age  of  the  city,  it  was  surrounded  by 
magnificent  structures,  with  porticos,  and  was  also  adorned  with 
statues  and  arches. 

6.  Thirty-one  great  roads  centred  in  Rome.  These,  issuing  from 
tbe  forum,  traversed  Italy,  pervaded  the  provinces,  and  terminated 
on  the  frontiers  of  the  empire.  Augustus  erected  a  gilt  pillar  in  the 
middle  of  the  forum,  called  the  Milliarinm  aureirm,  from  which  the 
distances  on  the  various  roads  were  reckoned.  This  curious  monu- 
ment was  discovered  so  late  as  1823.  There  were  thirty  gates  to  the 
3ity,  and  eight  bridges  crossed  the  Tiber. 


IJXXVIII.  —  I ,  Of  the  forum  ? 
5.  Squared;    6.  Roads? 

15* 


2,  Rostra?    3.  Porticos,  &c.  7    4.  Triuirphal  arthssi 


174 


REIGN   OF  AUGUSTflS. 

CHAPTER';^  XXIX  ^\ 

Reign  of  Augustus. 


Augustus. 


1.  Although  the  Roman  empire  was  now  a  monarchy,  yet  the 
old  forms  of  the  repubhc  were  faithfully  preserved.  The  consu'ij! 
were  elected  every  year,  in  the  usual  manner,  and  the  senate  discussed 
matters  of  state  as  if  the  legislative  authority  continued  in  their 

body. 

2.  The  name  of  kinpr  was  still  odious  to  Roman  ears,  and  their 
monarch  contented  himself  with  the  title  of  Iitipcrator,  which  had 
been  borne  by  the  commanders  of  armies  in  the  best  (iays  of  the 
republic.     To  such  an  extent  are  mankind  influenced  by  names ! 

3.  With  the  assumption  of  supreme  power.  Aufjustus  took  upon 
himself  an  entirely  new  character.  He  became  distinfjuished  for  his 
clemoncy  and  moderation,  and  soutrht,  by  a  beneficent  and  paternal  ad- 
ministration, to  obliterate  the  remembrance  of  his  former  cruelties. 
Thus,  by  a  cool  and  calculatino^  policy,  he  was  transformed  into  a  mild 
and  merciful  ruler,  truly  anxious  to  insure  the  happiness  of  the  peo- 
pk  intrusted  to  his  charge. 


nXXlX.—      What  was  the  government  of  Rome  iimler  Auguatual    2.  Whai  I'lk 


REIGN  OF   AUGUSTUS. 


175 


4  Some  wi.ters  state  that  Augustus  at  first  wit.  ed  to  resipn  hit 
poMcr,  after  the  example  of  Sulla,  but  was  dissuaded  by  his  friends, 
Agrippa  and  Mecaenas,  who  represented  •  to  him,  with  great  truth, 
that  the  Roman  state  could  no  longer  be  governed  by  its  old  con 
stitution.  and  that  he  would  retire  only  to  make  room  for  another 
master. 

5.  Augustus,  however,  went  through  the  form  of  an  abdication  in 
ihe  senate,  but  on  the  urgent  request  of  that  body,  he  resumed  his 
luthority.  Still  further  to  exhibit  his  moderation,  he  consented  only 
to  hold  the  sovereign  power  for  ten  years ;  an  example  which  was 
followed  by  succeeding  emperors.  This  gave  rise  to  the  Sacra  dc- 
ccnnalia^  or  the  festival  celebrated  at  each  renew?l  of  the  imperial 
authority. 

G.  Amid  all  the  adulations  of  the  senate  and  people,  Augustus  dm 
not  forget  that  he  owed  his  elevation  to  the  army ,  he  therefore  ex 
ertcd  himself  diligently  to  attach  the  soldiers  to  his  interest.     He 
dispersed  his  veterans  over  Italy  in  thirty-two  colonies,  dispossessing, 
in  many  places,  the  ancient  inhabitants,  to  make  room  for  these  settlers. 

7.  He  maintained  seventeen  legions  in  Europe,  namely,  eight  on 
the  Rhine,  four  on  the  Danube,  three  in  Spain,  and  two  in  Dalnia- 
tia.  Eight  more  were  kept  in  Asia  and  Africa ;  so  that  the  standing 
aimy  of  the  empire  exceeded  one  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  men. 

8.  A  body  of  these,  bearing  the  title  of  the  Praetorian  Guard,  and 
comprising  nine  thousand  men,  were  stationed  in  Rome,  to  protect  the 
rmperor's  person.  A  thousand  more  performed  the  duties  of  a  city 
.guard  in  the  capital. 

6.  Two  powerful  fleets  were  established  in  the  Italian  seas,  one  at 
Ravenna,  to  guard  the  Adriatic,  and  the  other  at  Misenum,  near 
Naples,  to  protect  the  western  part  of  the  Mediterranean. 

10.  It  is  calculated  that  the  revenues  of  the  empire  under  Augus- 
tus amounted  to  two  hundred  million  dollars ;  but  this  enormous  sum 
was  not  more  than  sufl^cient  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  civil,  mili- 
tary, and  naval  establishments,  nnd  of  the  public  works  undertaken 
to  adorn  the  metropolis. 


CHAPTER   CXXX. 

Reigu  of  Augustus. 

1.  After  the  death  of  Lcpidus,  Augustus  assumed  the  dignity  of 
Chief  Pontiff;  so  that,  like  the  ancient  kings,  he  was  at  the  head 
of  the  state  religion,  which  gave  him  still  more  power  than  he  previ- 
ously possessed  as  a  sovereign. 

2.  It  has  already  been  stated,  that  the  title  of  emperor,  as  con- 
ferred on  Julius  Caesar,  was  a  military  one,  and  only  had  reference  tn 


did  he  Dear?  3.  What  of  the  character  of  Augustus?  4,  5,  Of  his  resignathnl 
5.  How  did  he  dispose  of  the  army?  8.  The  PrBelTJan  Guard?  9.  The  fleets?  \d 
Whnt  was  the  reyenuo  of  the  empire  ? 


i76 


REIGN  OF  AUGUSTUS. 


his  command  over  the  armies  ;  but  with  regard  to  his  succtssors,  it 
implied  also  the  sovereignty  of  the  state ;  and  in  this  sense  it  has 
come  down  to  our  times.   * 

3.  As  long,  however,  as  the  empire  lasted,  it  was  usual  to  style 
the  sovereign  of  Rome,  Emperor,  when  speakinnfof  him  in  his  mili- 
/ary  capacity,  and  to  call  him  Caesar,  when  referring  to  his  civil 
authority.  Formerly,  any  general,  invested  with  the  title  of  Impe- 
rator,  was  distinguished  by  a  purple  robe  ;  but  from  this  time  thn 
purple  was  one  of  the  ensigns  of  imperial  dignity. 

4.  Augustus  exercised  his  supreme  authority  by  ejecting  from  the 
senate  a  number  of  ignorant  and  unfit  persons,  so  that  he  reduced 
:he  number  to  six  hundred.     He  recalled  many  who  had  been  ban 
'slied  for  political  offences,  and  restored  their  estates. 

5.  He  also  established  a  vigilant  police,  by  which  Italy  was  freeo 
from  the  molestation  of  the  banditti  that,  during  the  civil  wars,  had 
infested  not  oidy  the  country  and  provincial  towns,  but  even  Rome 
itself;  and  he  repaired  the  great  roads  of  Italy,  which  had  been 
suffered  to  get  into  a  bad  condition. 

6.  The  public  roads  were  among  the  most  valuable,  as  well  as  the 
most  dura[)le,  monuments  of  the  power  and  greatness  of  the  Roman 
nation.  Some  of  these  roads  extended  from  the  centre  of  Rome,  to 
ihe  most  remote  provinces  of  the  empire.  The  portions  of  road  with- 
in the  city  were  paved  with  stones,  such  as  is  chietly  used  for  the 
foot-pavement  in  London.  The  roads  through  the  open  country  were 
at  first  overlaid  with  gravel,  but  afterwards  paved  on  a  bed  of  com- 
position, as  may  be  yet  observed  in  the  remnants  of  Roman  roads  in 
Britain. 

7.  At  an  early  period  the  censors  had  the  care  of  the  public  roads  ; 
but  Augustus  C«sar  appointed  sur\'ey'i>-s  of  the  roads,  (Curatores 
Viarum  ;)  and  these  officers  had  ihe  power  of  enforcing  the  perform- 
ance of  statute  labor,  to  keep  them  in  repair,  exemption  from  which 
might  be  purchased  with  money.  The  construction  of  new  road? 
(when  not  owing  to  the  munificence  of  public-spirited  persons)  was 
paid  for  out  of  the  revenues  of  the  government.  They  were  made 
by  the  military,  who  used  to  labor  four  hours  daily,  at  some  useful 
public  work,  in  the  open  air,  to  often  keep  up  their  health  and 
strength,  and  fit  them  for  military  duties. 

8.  But  the  greatest  works  performed  in  the  time  of  Augustus 
were  those  by  which  Rome  was  converted  from  a  very  plain  city  into 
the  most  magnificent  capital  in  the  world.  It  was  a  favorite  saying 
with  the  emperor,  that  he  had  found  it  a  city  of  brick,  but  would 
leave  it  a  city  of  marble  ;  and  this  he  truly  did  ;  for  the  splendid 
edifices  that  he  raised  were  constructed  chiefly  of  the  latter  material. 

9.  The  pe<  [)le  were  not  taxed  or  oppressed  in  any  way  for  these 
improvemer)i.s,  which  were  made  at  the  expense  of  Augustus  him- 
self, and  the  wealthy  nobles,  who  were  stimulated  by  his  example. 
Amt»  ig  these  was  his  son-in-law,  Agrippa,  one  of  t'-e  greatest  men 
of  the  age,  who  held  a  distinguished  rank  in  the  d.pire,  being  next 


CXXX. --  1.  What  religious  office  did  Aiigusliis  tssiime  ?  2,  3.  What  of  the  title  of 
tmpert»r?  4.  How  did  Aiististus  reform  the  senaw  '  5.  Tlie  police?  6,7.  The  publi; 
•uada  /    3.  The  improvement  of  the  city  ?     9.   Th«  taxation  7     Agrippa? 


HOME  UNDER  AUGUSTUS 


177 


U)  .he  emperor  in  authority  and  dignity.  He  was  a  great  soldier  and 
engin<!er,  an  eminent  statesman,  and  a  liberal  patron  of  the  arts, 
lie  spent  vast  sums  in  public  wo.-ks,  the  greatest  of  which  was  the 
Pantheon 


CHAPTER   CXXXI. 


Ro?ne  under  Augustus, 

1.  TiiE  works  of  Augustus  were  directed  towards  the  general 
embeUishment  of  the  city,  rather  than  the  erection  of  any  particular 
edifice ;  and  the  Campus  Martins,  till  then  an  open  space,  began  to 
be  f^overed  with  elegant  buildings  ;  but  there  was  no  royal  palace,  for 
the  emperor  resided  in  a  private  house,  and  his  style  of  living  was 
lot  different  from  that  of  the  rich  citizens. 

2.  Roman  civilization  was  now  rapidly  spread  through  the  empire. 
Learning  was  cultivated;  the  country  improved;  new  towns  were 
built ;  villas  and  ornamental  gardens  constructed  :  roads  made ;  and 
:hc  people  taught  many  useful  arts,  of  which  they  were  till  then 
Ignorant.  Wherever  the  Roman  dominion  was  firmly  established, 
many  opulent  families  went  to  reside ;  and  as  they  were  the  superior 
ocople,  the  natives  of  the  higher  classes  adopted  their  dress,  lan- 
Tuage,  and  manners. 

.3.  They  greatly  improved  the  agriculture  and  horticulture  of 
•virope,  by  introducing  into  the  provinces  the  flowers  and  fruits  of 
•he  east,  and  the  cultivation  of  flax  from  Egypt ;  it  was  in  the  time 
of  Augustus,  when  Egypt  became  a  Roman  province,  that  linen 
began  to  be  used  among  the  Romans,  a  manufacture  for  which  the 
Egyptians  were  particularly  famous. 

4.  Glairs  was  also  manufactured  at  Alexandria,  and  sent  to  Rome, 
which  was  the  great  market  at  this  period  for  the  richest  productions 
of  every  country.  The  Roman  manufactures  were  carried  on  chiefly 
by  slaves ;  and  one  of  them  was  paper,  made  from  a  species  of  reed 
obtained  from  Egypt,  called  papyrus.  ,      ,    •  , 

5.  The  papyrus  plant  grows  in  marshy  places,  to  the  height  of 
about  ten  feet,'^and  paper  was  made  from  the  thin  coats  or  inner  rind, 
by  joining  them  together.  A  layer  thus  prepared  was  laid  on  a 
board,  and  another  layer  laid  over  it  crosswise,  which,  being  pressed 
together,  and  dried  in  the  sun,  formed  a  sheet  of  paper. 

6.  To  make  a  book,  the  sheets  were  pasted  together  in  a  length, 
and  r died  on  a  stick,  and  the  writing  was  in  columns,  with  g,  blank 
spac^e  between  them.  These  rolls,  called  volumes,  were  kept  in  cases 
in  the  libraries.  Tnere  were  many  booksellers  at  Rome,  and  most 
of  them  employed  people  to  make  copies  of  the  works  they  had  on 
sale,  of  wliieh  a  list  was  usually  hung  up  on  the  shop  door. 

7.  The  inhabitants  of  Rome  were,  generally  speaking,  plentifully 
supplied  with  the  luxuries,  as  well  as  the  necessaries  of  life,  from 


CXXXI. —  1.  What  of  the  residence  of  Aupuslus?    2.  What  of  the  extension  of  civil 
jaation?    3,  4.  Of  a^-ricnliure  am   minufaciures '/    5.  Of  the  {wpyrus?    6.  Of  book* ■- 

12 


178 


ROINIE  UNDER  AUGUSTUS. 


difTcnmt  parts  of  the  empire.  Ice  and  excellent  cheesi;  were  sen 
Trom  the  Alpine  districts;  pork,  fjeese,  and  salt,  in  larp^e  quantities, 
from  Giul ;  spices,  perfumes,  and  precious  stones,  from  the  east,  a* 
well  as  many  beautiful  manufactured  articles ;  and  they  also  received 
abundance  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  iron,  as  tribute  from  various 
nations. 

8.  Many  manufactures  were  carried  on  in  various  parts  of  Italy ; 
as,  for  instance,  tapestry  was  made  at  Padua,  and  steel  goods  of  all 
kinds  at  Como.  The  principal  trade  was  in  com,  and  other  provis- 
ions for  the  use  of  the  capital  ;  and  this  important  branch  of  com- 
merce was  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  emperor  one  of 
whose  titles  was  commissary-general  of  corn. 


Roman  Table. 

9.  There  was  a  fine  kind  of  wood  sent  to  Rome  from  the  kingdom 
iif  Mauritania,  and  used  for  making  large  tables,  which  were  often 
inlaid  with  ivory,  and  sold  for  such  enormofts  prices,  that  the  Roman 
ladies  used  to  say  they  had  a  right  to  be  extravagant  in  pearls  and 
jewels,  while  their  husbands  spent  so  much  money  in  these  exjjensivo 
tables. 


CHAPTER  CXXXIl. 


Rome  under  Augustus, 


1.  Among  the  commodities  obtained  by  the  Romans  from  di&iant 
pnrts  of  the  world,  was  manufactured  silk,  which  they  purchased  of 


?    Of  the  luxurios  and  nrc^.^.sirit'3  of  life  al  Rome?    8,  Of  t,hc  iiianufocturos  cf  lu.v^ 
'4.  i>t  Ilk:  AlHuriianiaa  lables? 


ROME  UNDER  AJGUSTUS 


179 


a  people  who  came  to  their  eastern  dominions  from  some  unknown 
rountry  beyond  ,  but  whether  they  were  Tartars,  Chinese,  or  Indians, 

iS  uncertain. 

2.  The  Romans  were  totally  unacquainted  with  the  nature  of  silk 
They  did  not  know  how  or  where  it  was  produced ;  but  they  were 
willino"  to  o-ive  any  price  for  it  because  it  was  rare  and  beautiful.  At 
Rome^it  was  sold  for  its  weight  in  gold,  so  that  only  a  few  ladies  of 
the  highest  rank  could  obtain  it.  Besides,  it  was  so  scarce,  that  thej 
used  to  make  their  slaves  unweave  the  thick  eastern  silks,  to  manu- 
facture slighter  ones,  so  that  they  might  have  two  or  three  yards  foi 

one. 

3.  It  was  worn  only  by  females  at  this  period  :  but  in  the  course  of 
time,  the  fine  gentlemen  of  Rome  used  silk  in  their  attire,  either  in 
the  form  of  a  toga,  a  scari',  or  a  loose  kind  of  robe  ;  for  it  was  about 
this  time  that  the  toga  began  to  be  left  off,  except  by  clients  when 
they  waited  on  their  patrons.  But  silk  continued  to  be  so  expensive, 
that  sumptuary  laws  were  frequently  made  to  restrict  its  use,  and  it 
was  generally  interwoven  with  cotton  or  wool ;  so  that  it  is  men- 
tioned as  an  instance  of  the  extravagance  of  the  Emperor  ElagahuluSj 
that  he  had  a  robe  of  pure  silk. 


*£^v    iSPy, 


Koman  Family  at  Dinner. 

4.  But  the  luxury  of  the  Romans  was  chiefly  displayed  in  cook- 
cry.  Their  tables  were  sui)plied  with  the  most  costly  viands  and 
choicest  wines,  in  such  profusion,  that  the  supper  of  a  Roman  citi- 
zen, when  he  entertained  his  friends,  might  have  served  for  a  royal 
banquet. 

5.  The  dishes  were  often  of  embossed  silver,  so  large  that  a  boai 


CXXXIl.  — 1,  2.  What  of  silk  at  Rome?    3.  How  was  it  worn?    4    T).  Of  Roma' 
<M»kery  ?    6.  Of  luxury  ? 


180 


REluN  OF  AUGUSTUS 


mitrht  be  brought  to  table  whole ;  and  it  was  about  this  time  tha< 
they  bej?an  to  use  table-cloths.  Gentlemen,  in  j^oiiifr  home  from  a 
sui)per,  were  usually  attended  by  slaves  carrying  torche^s ;  and  when 
a  man  of  rank  appeared  in  public,  two  or  three  slaves  generally  pre- 
ceded him  to  clear  the  way. 

6.  The  Romans  at  this  period  seem,  indeed,  to  have  possessed  all 
the  luxuries  that  wealth  could  [)rocure  ;  but  they  had  become  quite  a 
diflferent  people  from  what  they  had  been  in  former  days ;  and  the 
power  of  the  empire,  in  consequence  of  its  extent,  now  depended  on 
keeping  uf)  a  large  military  force.  //^ 

CHAPTER  CXXXIII. 
Reign  of  Augustus, 

1.  In  the  reign  of  Augustus,  a  great  part  of  Germany  was  brought 
under  the  dominion  of  Rom  .  The  Germans  then  consisted  of  many 
different  nations,  all  of  a  warlike  character,  and  not  more  civilized 
than  the  ancient  Gauls.  The  nobles  were  all  warriors,  and  lived  on 
their  lands,  which  were  cultivated  by  serfs,  as  in  Russia  at  the  pres- 
ent day. 

2.  They  had  no  towns,  and  the  country  was  covered  with  thick 
and  extensive  forests,  through  which  there  were  no  roads,  which 
made  it  difficult  as  well  as  dangerous  to  carry  on  a  war  there.  The 
Romans  had  never  cared  about  making  conquests  in  so  unattractive  a 
country ;  but  they  found  it  necessary  to  prevent  the  Germans  from 
making  inroads  into  the  empire,  which  could  only  be  done  by  re- 
ducing them  to  subjection,  and  eskxblishing  legions  on  the  frontiers. 

3.  The  German  wars  were  begun  about  nineteen  years  after  the 
battle  of  Actium,  and  were  conducted,  at  first,  by  Tiberius,  who  was 
afterwards  emperor,  and  his  brother  Drusus,  both  sons  of  the  wife 
of  Augustus  by  a  former  husband.  Very  little  is  known  of  these 
wars,  for  the  Germans  had  neither  cities  nor  fortified  places  wherein 
to  defend  themselves,  so  that  there  are  no  accounts  of  sieges,  or  the 
taking  of  towns  ;  but  they  fought  many  battles,  in  which  they  were 
usually  defeated,  and  obliged  to  seek  shelter  in  their  forests,  while 
their  lands  were  ravaged,  and  great  numbers  of  women  and  children 
carried  away  for  slaves. 

4.  In  the  course  of  twenty  years,  the  supremacy  of  Rome  was 
acknowledged  in  all  that  part  of  Germany  which  lies  between  the 
Elbe  and  the  Rhine  ;  but  it  was  not  firmly  established  ;  and  towards 
the  end  of  the  reign  of  Augustus,  the  Germans  partly  recovered 
their  independence  by  the  destruction  of  a  great  Roman  army,  com- 
posed of  the  best  legions  of  the  empire. 

5.  This  unfortunate  army  was  under  the  comma  x\  of  the  Roman 
general,  Varus,  who  was  enticed  to  follow  a  body  of  Germans  through 


RElUN  0}    VUGUSTUS. 


181 


n^7 


forests  and  marshes,  into  a  part  of  the  country  that  was  nnknctwn  to 
him,  w  here  his  troops  were  so  hemmed  in,  that  they  could  not  defend 
themselves  to  advantage,  and  were  cut  to  pieces.  Varus  and  the 
other  generals  killed  themselves  in  despair. 

(>.  This  defeat,  and  the  loss  of  so  many  of  his  best  soldiers,  was  a 
sad  blow  to  the  emperor,  especially  as  it  was  no  easy  matter,  at  this 
period,  to  raise  new  legions,  as  the  people  in  general  were  unwilling 
to  ser^'e  in  the  armies ;  so  that  it  had  become  necessary  to  emancipate 
numbers  of  slaves,  and  make  soldiers  of  them. 

7.  One  reason  of  this  was,  that  the  frontiers  of  the  empire  were 
guarded  by  garrisons,  stationed  in  fortified  camps ;  and  the  soldiers 
of  these  garrisons  were  obliged  to  remain  there  until  they  were  old 
men,  so  that  they  were  completely  exiled  from  their  country  ;  a  sys- 
tem that  sometimes  led  to  rebellion  among  them. 

8.  The  reign  of  Augustus  Caesar  is  cor^sidered  the  great  era  of 
learning  and  the  fine  arts,  among  the  ancient  Romans ;  so  that  it  ia 
called  the  Augustan  age.  Everyman  of  rank  had  a  library;  and 
among  the  many  great  literary  men  of  the  time,  were  Horace,  Virgil, 
Ovid,  and  Livy,  the  historian.  They  were  patronized  by  Augustus ; 
and  Virgil  was  so  great  a  favorite  that  he  died  immensely  rich. 


Virgil  reading  his  Poems  to  Augustus. 

9.  The  Romans  were  not  originally  accustomed  to  treat  their  empe- 
rors with  much  outward  ceremony,  as  is  proved  by  many  anecdotes 
that  are  related  of  Augustus  ( 'aRsar,  of  which  the  following  may 
serve  as  an  example.  Among  the  ofl[icial  duties  of  the  sovereign, 
was  that  of  calling  the  citizens  to  account  for  any  impropriety  in  theii 


CXXXIII.  —  1.  What  wa<i  the  condition  of  the  Germans?    2.  Wlial  of  their  comilry; 
3    Of  the  Gcrinao  wars?    4.  Whai  {Mil  of  GenuMiy  was  conqiicroil  by  t lie  UoiiiAital 


5.  What  was  the  fnte  of  Varus?    C,  7.  What  was  the  state  of  f     Roman  armies?     3 
What  is  jsaitl  (»f  the  Atiijustan  ase  ?     9.  How  did  ihc  Romaiir   treat  their  em/>er«»r.^' 


10    Whdl  anecdote  is  relited  of  Augustus  ? 

16 


im 


KEIGN  OF   AUGUSTUS. 


conduct,  as  Jic  censors  were  authc-ized  to  do  in  former  time^,  anc 
altiiough  it  appears  absurd,  in  suci  times  as  tliose  of  Augustus,  to 
Itring  any  man  before  a  tribunal  on  a  charge  of  waste  or  extravagance, 
yet  it  was  sometimes  done,  nevertheless ,  and  as  the  emperor  waa 
censor,  he  could  not  pass  by  an  accusation  of  the  kind  unnoticed. 

10.  One  day,  a  certain  knight  was  summoned  before  him  to  answrr 
to  a  charge  of  having  squandered  his  patrimony ;  but  wiien  his  de 
fence  came  to  be  heard,  it  appeared  that  he  had  improved  his  fortune, 
instead  of  havinn^  wasted  it ;  on  which  the  emperor  told  him  he  was 
acquitted.  "Another  time,  Caesar,"  said  the  knight,  *' before  you 
listen  to  a  charge  against  an  honest  man,  take  care  that  your  informer 
is  honest." 


CHAPTER   CXXXIV. 


Reign  of  Augustus. 

1.  Some  disturbances  in  Spain  and  Gaul  induced  the  emperor  to 
cross  the  Alps  and  Pyrenees.  He  subdued  the  Cantabrians,  who 
inhabited  the  province  now  called  Biscay,  and  the  Asturians.  To 
restrain  these  tribes  in  future,  he  built  several  cities,  and  providfMl 
them  with  strong  fortifications.  \Vi;ile  reposing  himself  in  Si)ain 
from  the  fatigues  of  his  campaign,  Augustus  received  ambassadors 
from  the  Scythians,  the  Sarmatians,  the  people  of  India,  and  even 
from  the  Seres,  who  are  supposed  to  be  the  Chinese. 
*  2.  On  his  recovery  from  a  fit  of  illness,  which  spread  universal 
alarm  throughout  the  empire,  the  senate  conferred  the  tribuneship  for 
life  upon  Augustus,  which  rendered  his  person  sacro  sand.  This 
dignity  was  henceforth  annexed  to  the  imperial  office,  and  consequent- 
ly all  attempts  against  the  life  of  the  sovereign  became  high  treason. 

3.  Upon  entering  his  tenth  con.*ulship,  the  senate,  by  oath,  ap- 
proved of  all  the  acts  of  Augustuu,  and  set  him  wholly  above  thi 
power  of  the  laws.     They  sometime  af«eT  offered  to  swear  not  only 
to  all  the  laws  which  he  had  made,  but  to  all  such  as  he  should  make 
in  future. 

4.  Notwithstanding  this  concentration  of  authority  in  his  person 
Augustus  admitted  every  one  to  familiarity  with  him,  and  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  alTability  and  condescension  Though  by  his 
sole  word  he  could  condemn  or  acquit  whomever  he  pleased,  yet  ho 
gave  the  laws  their  proper  course,  and  even  pleaded  in  person  for 
individuals  whom  he  desired  to  protect. 

5.  Wlien  one  of  his  veteran  soldiers  entreated  his  assistance,  Au- 
gustus bade  him  apply  to  an  advocate.     "  Ah!"  replied  the  sddier 
*'  it  was  not  by  proxy  that  I  served  you   at  the  battle  of  Actium. 
This  answer  so  pleased  the  emperor,  that  he  pleaded  the  soldier*! 
cause,  and  gained  it  for  him. 


CXXXIV.  —  1.  What  of  the  expe.liiions  of  Augustus?  2.  What  of  his  recovery  f-ou. 
sickiie.^s?  3.  Of  his  tenth  consulship?  4.  Of  his  familiar  manners?  S.  G,  7  WW 
Biiecdoies  arc  related  of  him  *< 


'• 


DEATH  OF  AUGUSTUS. 


lai 


t .  One  day  a  petitioner  approached  him  in  so  awe-struck  a  manner 
is  to  excite  his  displeasure.  "  Friend,"  said  he,  *'  remember  that  1 
tm  a  man,  and  not  an  elephant.     Be  bolder." 

7.  Once,  as  Augustus  was  sitting  in  judgment,  Mecaenas,  perceiv- 
ing that  he  was  inclined  to  be  severe,  and  not  being  able  to  approach 
him  for  the  crowd,  threw  a  paper  into  his  bosom,  on  which  was 
written,  "  Arise,  butcher !"  Augustus  read  it  without  testifying  any 
displeasure,  and  immediately  rising  from  the  judgment-scat,  pardoned 
the  culprits  whom  he  was  about  to  condemn. 


CHAPTER  CXXXV. 

Death  of  Augustus. 

1  In  the  midst  of  his  unexampled  power  and  good  fortune,  how- 
ever, Augustus  was  assailed  by  domestic  troubles.  He  had  married 
Livia,  the  wife  of  Tiberius  Nero.  She  was  an  imperious  woman, 
and,  conscious  of  the  strong  attachment  of  her  husband,  controlled 
bim  at  her  pleasure.  She  had  two  sons,  Tiberius  and  Drusus.  The 
former  was  of  a  temper  so  turbulent  and  obstinate,  that  Augustus 
t>xiled  him  for  five  years  to  Rhodes. 

2.  A  still  greater  afl[liction  was  experienced  by  Augustus  from  the 
conduct  of  his  daughter  Julia,  whose  behavior  was  so  abandoned 
lliat  he  determined  at  first  to  put  her  to  death,  but  was  finally  induced 
to  spare  her  life,  and  banished  her  to  an  island  on  the  coast.  ^ 

3.  In  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age,  Augustus  began  to  think 
of  withdrawing  from  the  fatigues  of  government,  and  of  making 
Tiberius  his  partner  in  the  empire.  He  accordingly  invested  him 
with  nearly  the  same  authority  as  he  had  exercised  himself.  He 
next  made  his  will,  and  intrusted  it  to  the  care  of  the  Vestal  Virgins. 
He  then  ordered  the  census  of  the  people  to  be  taken,  which  showed 
the  population  of  the  city  to  be  four  millions  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
seve.n  thousand. 

4.  Shortly  after,  having  accompanied  Tiberius  in  his  march  into 
Illyria,  he  was  taken  ill  at  Naples.  Hastening  toward  Rome,  the 
disorder  assumed  a  fatal  character  at  Nola,  in  Campania,  and  he  was 
unable  to  proceed  any  further. 

5.  A  few  hours  before  his  death,  he  ordered  a  mirror  to  be  brought 
to  him,  and  his  hair  to  be  combed  and  arranged  with  unusual  care. 
He  then  addressed  his  friends  who  stood  around  him,  and  asken 
wh«^'ther  he  had  well  played  his  part  in  life.  All  replied  in  the 
aflirmative.  '*  Then,"  said  he,  "give  me  your  applause;"  with 
these  words  ne  expired,  A.  D.  14. 

6.  The  death  of  Augustus  caused  unfeigned  and  general  grief 
throughout  the  empire.     Some  believed  that  he  had  been  poisoned 


CXXXV.  —  1,2  What  were  the  domestic  troubles  of  Augustus  ?    3.  How  did  he  pre 
pare  wr  the  cJjse  of  his  reii.'n  ?     What  was  the  {wpuia.ion  of  the  city  ?    4,  5.  I)esrri!)e 
his  d>alh      C    What  o|  I.iviH  7    7.  What  ijonord  were  paid  to  the  memory  of  AugUfMua" 


84 


ACCESSION   OF  TIB  Kill  US. 


by  Livia  to  procure  the  suc^ssion  more  speedily  for  Tibeiihs.  She 
took  care  to  keep  his  death  c  icealed  for  a  time,  till  nieasure*^  were 
proposed  for  the  transmissior  of  the  imperial  power,  and  wten  every- 
thing was  ready  she  caused  t  le  decease  of  Augustus  to  be  f  uhlished, 
witir  the  announcement  that  he  had  adopted  Tiberius  as  his  suc- 
cessor. 

7.  The  honors  paid  to  the  memory  of  Augustus  seemed  to  have 
no  bounds.  Temples  were  erected  to  his  name  :  divine  worship  m  at 
olfered  to  him  ;  and  a  senator  named  Numerius  Atticus  managed  tc 
turn  the  extravajrant  adulation  of  the  people  to  his  own  benefit,  by 
swearing  that  he  saw  Augustus  ascend  to  heaven,  for  which  he 
received  a  large  sum  of  money.  After  this,  no  doubt  was  e\press*'c' 
of  the  divinity  of  the  deceased  emperor. 


CHAPTER  J_CXXXyi 

Accession  of  Tiberius. 


^ 


tOSMNO-tMHTI  St 


I.  Tiberius  was  hailed  with  extravagant  j:  v  by  the  senatdis  and 
t marine  of  Rome  on  his  accession  to  the  einpii-. ,     He  had  li\ed  in  a 


ACCESSION  OF  TIBERIUS. 


1S5 


•lute  of  profound  dissimulation  under  Augustus,  and  although  fift> 
six  years  of  age,  was  not  yet  hardy  enough  to  show  himself  in  his 
real  character.     He  met  the  adulation  of  the  Roman  nobility  with  a 
duplicity  equal  to  their  own,  affecting  to  decline  the  sovereign  power 

2.  But  after  long  debates,  he  suffered  himself  to  be  persuaded  tc 
accept  it.  In  the  beginning  of  his  reign  nothing  appeared  but  gen 
erosity,  clemency  and  prudence.  Having  bound  himself  by  oath 
never  to  depart  from  the  policy  of  his  predecessor,  he  strove  to  win 
the  affections  or  disarm  the  suspicions  of  the  virtuous  Germanicus, 
wnom  Augustus  had  compelled  him  to  declare  his  heir. 

3.  But  the  jealousies  of  Tiberius  were  greatly  aggravated  by  3 
mutiny  of  the  German  legions,  who  offered  to  raise  Germanicus  to 
the  throne;  and  though  the  latter  firmly  refused,  and  rebuked  their 
disloyalty,  yet  Tiberius  was  thenceforth  resolved  upon  his  destruc- 
tion. The  glory  which  the  young  prince  acipiired  in  several  success 
ful  campaigns  against  the  Germans,  at  length  induced  the  emperor  to 
recall  him  to  Rome,  under  the  pretence  of  rewarding  him  with  a 
triumph.  ♦ 

4.  But  he  soon  became  anxious  to  remove  from  the  city  a  person 
whose  mildness  and  virtue  were  so  strongly  contrasted  with  his  own 
tyranny  and  debauchery.  He  appointed  him  governor  of  the  eastern 
provinces,  but  at  the  same  time  he  sent  Piso,  with  his  infamous  wife, 
Plancina,  into  Syria,  giving  them  secret  instructions  to  take  him  off 
by  poison. 

5.  This  atrocious  deed  was  accomplished,  but  such  was  the  grief 
at  Rome  for  the  death  of  Germanicus,  and  so  strong  were  the  suspi- 
cions which  fell  upon  Piso,  that  he  was  arraigned  for  the  murder,  and 
escaped  the  vengeance  of  the  law  only  by  laying  violent  hands  upon 
himself. 

6.  Tiberius  now  gave  way  to  the  native  cruelty  of  his  disposition, 
and  many  of  the  most  eminent  nobles  were  put  to  death  for  high 
treason.  His  depravity  was  equalled  by  that  of  his  prime  minister 
Sejanus,  whose  name  has  passed  into  a  proverb.  This  ambitious 
/avorite  secretly  aspired  to  the  throne,  and  applied  himself  to  win  the 
tavor  of  the  Praetorian  Guards.  He  was  also  accused  of  having  pro- 
cured the  death  of  Drusus,  the  emperor's  son. 

7.  But  his  most  successful  project  was  the  removal  of  Tiberius 
from  Rome.  By  his  artful  temptations  he  induced  the  emperor  to 
withdraw  from  the  cares  of  government  into  the  beautiful  island  of 
CapreaR,  near  Naples.  Here  he  abandoned  himself  to  all  sorts  of  lux- 
ury and  vice. 


CXXXVL—  1.  What  of  Iho  accession  of  Tiberius  1 
1   Wliai  of  Gerinmicus?    4.  .'5.  Of  his  assassiiiaiion? 
^'hvra  did  Tiberius  retire  from  Rome? 

16* 


•low  did  he  begin  his  reign  1 
»f  Tilierius  and  Sejanus  ?    7 


18G 


CRIMES  OF  SEJANUS. 


CHAPTER   CXXXVII. 


Crimes  of  Sejantis. 

1.  Sejanus,  having  the  entire  administration  of  the  emi:  lo  in  Ins 
hands,  employed  hosts  of  spies  and  informers,  for  the  pupcse  of 
ridding  himself  of  all  obstacles.  He  put  to  c^ath  numbers  oi  the 
most  eminent  Romans,  after  making  them  undergo  the  useless 
mockery  of  a  trial. 

2.  In  this  manner  he  proceeded,  removing  all  who  appeared  to 
stand  between  him  and  the  empire,  every  day  increasing  his  confi- 
dence with  Tiberius  and  his  power  with  the  senate.  The  number  of 
his  statues  set  up  in  Rome  excreded  even  those  of  the  emperor. 
People  swore  by  his  fortune  in  the  same  manner  as  they  would  have 
done  had  he  been  upon  the  throne,  and  he  was  more  dreaded  than 
the  tyrant  who  actually  wore  the  purple. 

3.  But  the  rapidity  of  his  rise  seemed  only  preparatory  to  the 
greatness  of  his  downfall.  Tiberius  received  secret  warnings  of  the 
dangerous  projects  of  Sejanus.  He  immediately  despatched  a  mes- 
senger to  Rome  with  a  letter  to  the  senate,  instructing  him  to  inform 
Sejanus  that  it  contained  an  earnest  recommendation  to  have  him 
invested  with  the  tribunitian  power. 

4.  The  minister,  deceived  by  this  hope,  hastily  convened  the 
senate,  and  on  presenting  himself  to  that  body,  was  surrounded  by  a 
horde  of  flatterers,  congratulating  him  on  his  new  dignity.  But 
when  the  fatal  epistle  was  read,  in  which  he  was  accused  of  treason, 
and  orders  were  given  for  his  arrest,  he  was  immediately  abandoned. 

5.  Those  who  had  been  most  servile  in  their  flatteries  now  became 
loudest  in  their  invectives  and  execrations.  A  hurried  decree  was 
passed,  condemning  Sejanus  to  death.  Tiiis  was  put  in  execution 
the  same  day,  and  a  general  slaughter  of  his  friends  and  relations  fol- 
lowed. His  innocent  children,  though  of  very  tender  years,  were 
put  to  death  with  circumstances  of  great  barbarity,  and  the  numerous 
statues  which  had  been  erected  to  his  honor  were  broken  to  pieces 
by  the  fickle  multitude. 

6.  The  death  of  Sejanus  only  inflamed  the  emperor's  rage  for  fur- 
ther executions,  and  he  gave  orders  that  whoever  was  accused  should 
be  put  to  death  without  trial.  The  whole  city  was  filled  with 
slaughter  and  mourning.  One  Carnulius  killed  himself  to  avoid  the 
torture  which  had  been  designed  for  him.  **  Ah  !"  cried  Tiberius, 
*'  how  has  that  man  been  able  to  escape  me?  " 

7.  When  a  prisoner  earnestly  entreated  that  he  might  be  executed 
speedily,  "  Know,"  said  the  tyrant,  *'  that  I  am  not  sufl^ciently  your 
friend  to  shorten  your  torments."  In  this  manner  Tiberius  lived, 
odious  to  the  world  and  a  burthen  to  himself.     At  length,  in  th<5 


CXXXVII.  — 1,  2.  How  did  Se;ani  i  use  his  power?     3,  4.  What  of  his  downfall? 
B.  What  waa  the  fate  of  Sejanus  and  :  k  family  *    6,  7,   What  is  related  of  the  cn/eltiM 


REIGN  i>F  CALIGULA. 


18? 


.wenty-second  year  of  his  reign,  he  began  to  feel  the  approaches  ol 
old  age,  and  his  appetite  forsook  him. 

8.  Tiberius,  finding  it  was  time  to  think  of  a  successor,  fixed  upon 
Caligula,  the  only  surviving  son  of  his  nephew  and  victim,  Germani- 
pus.  It  is  said  that  he  made  choice  of  this  prince,  whose  depravity 
was  not?jrious,  that  his  own  enormities  mi^^ht  be  thrown  into  the  shade 
by  those  of  his  successor. 

9.  Still,  however,  he  cherished  hopes  of  life,  and  strove  by  fre- 
quent change  of  place  to  drive  away  disquieting  reflections.  At  last 
he  fixed  his  residence  at  Misenum,  where  he  fell  into  fainting-fits, 
which  all  believed  to  be  mortal. 

10.  Caligula,  supposing  him  dead,  caused  himself  to  be  proclaimed 
by  the  prajtorian  bands,  and  went  forth  from  the  emperor's  aparlmeni 
amid  the  applauses  of  the  multitude.  On  a  sudden  he  was  informed 
that  the  emperor  had  revived. 

11.  This  unexpected  news  filled  the  whole  court  with  alarm  and 
apprehension.  Every  one  who  had  before  testified  his  joy  now 
reassumed  his  pretended  sorrow,  and  forsook  the  new  emperor 
through  a  feigned  solicitude  for  the  fate  of  the  old.  Caligula  deemed 
thunderstruck,  and  sat  in  a  gloomy  silei.ce,  expecting  immediate 
death  instead  of  the  throne  to  which  he  had  aspired. 

12.  Macro,  the  commander  of  the  guards,  averted  this  danger  by 
smothering  the  emperor  with  bed-clothes,  under  pretence  of  keepino 
him  warm.  Thus  died  Tiberius,  A.  D.  37,  in  the  seventy-eighth 
year  of  his  age,  having  reigned  twenty-two  years.  In  his  reign  the 
forms  of  the  constitution  were  retained,  but  its  spirit  and  substance 
were  completely  altered.  The  government  became  a  (complete  despo- 
tism, and  the  only  use  of  the  senate  was  to  register  the  edicts  of  the 
sovereign. 


CHAPTER  CXXXVm. 

Reign  of  Caligula 

1.  The  accession  of  Caligula  was  hailed  with  the  utmost  enthu- 
siasm, both  by  the  senate  and  by  the  people,  on  account  of  the  great 
merit  of  his  father  Germanicus.  He  begau  his  reign  by  liberating  all 
the  state  prisoners,  and  dismissing  the  whole  horde  of  spies  and 
infonners  whom  Tiberius  had  encouraged. 

2.  By  these  and  other  similar  acts  of  generosity,  he  became  so 
popular,  that  when  he  was  attacked  by  sickness,  the  whole  empire 
was  filled  with  sorrow,  and  sacrifices  were  oflTered  in  every  temple  for 
his  recovery.  This  sickness  i)erhaps  disordered  his  brain,  for  the 
savage  conduct  which  he  exhibited  afterward  was  only  worthy  of  a 

madman. 

3.  He  ordered  all  the  prisoners  in  Rome  to   be  thrown  to  wild 


of  Tiberius  ?    8.  Whom  did  he  choose  for  his  successor?     9—12.  Describe  the  death  n| 
'cXiXVIII  -  1.  What  of  the  ftccession  of  Caligula?    2.  Of  his  sickness       3.  liii 


183 


REIGN  OF  CALIGULA. 


tenst,  vitl.out  trial ;  and  .t  was  his  fiendish  pleasure  to  witness  tl.e 
sulioriugs  of  his  victims  and  protract  their  tortures,  that  they  mi.rhi 
as  he  saiQ,  feel  themselves  dying.  Finding  that  no  one  dared  tu 
oppose  his  sanguinary  caprices,  he  began  to  regard  himself  us  sonie- 
thmg  more  than  a  mere  mortal,  and  to  claim  divine  honors  He 
erected  a  temple  to  himself,  and  instituted  a  college  of  priests  to  sup,r- 
mtend  his  own  worship.  o^i'-j 


Caligula. 


4.  A  still  more  absurd  piece  of  conduct  was  the  reverence  which 
he  claimed  for  his  favorite  horse  Incitatus,  whom  he  frequently  invie 
to  dine  at  the  imperial  table,  where  the  animal  was  fed  wi  h  "d  od 
oats  and  drank  the  most  costly  wines  from  jewelled  goblets.     Noth- 

Zslhip.  P''''"'"^  ''^  '■^""'  ^="^'""  ""^  luadruped  to  the 

5.  While  the  whole  city  was  scandalized  bv  his  outrageous  conduct 
Home  was  suddenly  astounded  with  the  intelligence  that  the  empe'or 
had  resolved  to  lead  an  a^my  against  the  Gemans.     The  gmndes 

„,l'l"^'"'''i1"'""'"^  his  engines  and  warlike  machines  with   <rreal 
parade,  and  drawing  up  his  ranks  in  order  of  battle,  he  went  on  boaiv 

truellios  and  follie.,  J    4.  What  of  l.ix  h^rse  Inciuua )    5,  6.  7.  Describe  hi 


-> 


H  PXDcdilioa 


ASSASSINATION  OF  CALIGUL/^. 


189 


ft  g"alloy,  and  coastinf^  along  the  shore,  commanded  his  trumpets  to 
Bound,  and  the  sin^nal  to  be  priven  as  if  for  a  battle.  The  soldiers  were 
then  ordered  to  gather  shells  from  the  beach  and  put  them  in  theii 
helmets. 

7.  These  were  dignified  with  the  name  of  "  spoils  of  the  ocean.'* 
After  this  farcical  triumph,  the  emperor  called  his  army  together,  like 
a  conquering  general  after  a  victory,  and  harangued  them  in  a  pom- 
pous manner,  extolling  their  achievements.  To  commemorate  this 
wonderful  exploit,  he  ordered  a  lofty  tower  to  be  erected  on  the  spot. 

8.  Caligula  returned  to  Rome,  where  he  continued  his  career  of 
(extravagances  He  employed  many  inventions  to  imitate  thunder, 
and  would  frequently  defy  Jupiter,  crying  out,  "  Do  you  conquer  me 
or  I  will  conquer  you'"  He  pretended  to  converse  in  whispers 
with  the  statue  of  that  divinity,  and  usually  seemed  angry  at  its 
replies,  threatening  to  send  it  back  into  Greece,  from  whence  it  came 

9.  He  built  a  stable  of  marble,  and  a  manger  of  ivory  for  his  horse 
and  whenever  he  was  to  run  a  race,  he  stationed  sentinels  on  the 
night  preceding,  to  prevent  any  noises  from  breaking  the  slumbers  of 
liis  favorite  steed. 

10.  The  cruelties  of  Caligula  augmented  from  day  to  day.  He 
put  many  senators  to  death,  and  then  summo  led  them  to  appear. 
He  cast  great  numbers  of  old  and  infirm  men  to  wild  beasts,  to  free 
the  state  from  such  unserviceable  citizens.  Every  tenth  day  he  sent 
off  a  certain  number  of  victims  to  his  menagerie,  which  he  jocosely 
called  '*  clearing  his  accounts." 

11.  Upon  one  occasion,  being  incensed  with  the  citizens,  he  uttered 
a  wish  that  the  Roman  people  had  but  one  neck,  that  he  might 
despatch  them  all  at  a  single  blow.  Finding  the  senate  more  reluc- 
tant in  their  adulations  than  he  expected,  he  determined  to  massacre 
their  whole  body.  But  the  Romans  were  by  this  time  weary  of  a 
monster  equally  wicked  and  contemptible,  and  a  conspiracy  was 
organized  for  his  destruction,  headed  by  Cherea,  the  commander  of 
the  Praetorian  Guards,  whom  the  emperor  had  long  treated  with  insult. 


CHAPTER  \cxx2ax3  ryf/ 

Assassination   of  Caligula. 

1.  The  Palatine  Games,  which  lasted  four  days,  were  now  at 
hand,  and  tliis  was  judged  a  favorable  opportunity  for  accomplishing 
the  purpose  of  the  conspirators.  The  first  three  days  were  allowed 
to  pass,  and  Clierea  fixed  upon  the  fourth  day,  when  Caligula,  after 
the  conclusion  of  the  games,  would  have  occasion  to  retire  through  a 
private  gallery  to  the  baths  near  the  palace. 

2.  The  last  day  was  more  splendid  than  any  of  the  oreceding,  and 


\ 


x6 


ieainsl  Ihe  Germans.     9.  How  did  he  defy  Jupiter?    9.  Of  his  hor;e'3  stable,  iVcJ     10 
His  cruelties?     11.  What  saying  is  related  of  him? 
CXXXIX.  — 1.  When  was  the  conspiracy  against  Caligula  de  'gned  to  take  tTek.l« 


190 


REIGN   OF  CLAUDIUS. 


the  emperoi  seemed  more  sprightly  and  condescending  than  .isu/il. 
Ha  enjoyed  the  amusement  of  seeing  the  people  scramble  lor  the 
fruits  and  other  things  which  were  thrown  by  his  order  among  them, 
being  totally  unsuspicious  of  the  plot  against  him. 

3.  But  in  the  mean  time,  some  intelligence  of  the  design  began  to 
circulate  among  the  multitude,  and  had  the  tyrant  any  friends  remain 
\ng,  he  could  not  have  failed  to  discover  it.  A  senator  who  stood 
near  him,  asking  one  of  his  acquaintances  whether  he  had  heard  any- 
thing new,  was  answered  "No."  **  Then,"  returned  he,  "you 
must  know  that  this  day  will  be  represented  a  piece  called  the  Death 
of  a  Tyrant."  The  other  immediately  understood  the  hint,  but 
advised  him  to  be  cautious. 

4.  The  conspirators  waited  many  hours  with  extreme  anxiety,  and 
Caligula  seemed  resolved  to  spend  the  whole  day  without  taking  any 
refreshment.  This  unexpected  delay  exasperated  Cherea,  and  hail 
he  not  been  restrained,  he  would  have  fallen  upon  the  emperor  in  the 
midst  of  all  the  people. 

5.  While  he  was  hesitating,  one  of  the  attendants  of  Caligula  per- 
suaded him  to  go  into  the  bath  and  take  some  slight  refreshment,  that 
he  might  the  better  enjoy  the  rest  of  the  entertainment.  The  emperor 
rising  up,  the  conspirators  used  every  precaution  to  keep  off  the 
throng,  and  to  surround  him,  on  pretence  of  seeing  to  his  comfort. 

6.  Upon  entering  a  little  vaulted  gallery  that  led  to  the  bath. 
Cherea  struck  him  to  the  ground  with  his  dagger,  saying,  "  Tyrant! 
think  upon  this!"  The  other  conspirators  closed  in  upon  him,  and 
while  he  was  resisting  and  crying  out  that  he  was  not  dead,  they 
despatched  him  with  thirty  wounds. 

7.  Such  was  the  merited  end  of  Caligula,  after  a  reign  of  less  than 
four  years.  His  character  may  be  summed  up  in  the  words  of 
Seneca,  who  says,  "  Nature  seems  to  have  produced  him  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  what  mischief  can  be  effected  by  tlie  grealesl 
vices  supjorti^d  by  the  highest  authority." 


CHAPTER   CXL. 

Reig7i  of  Claudius, 

1.  Cux^owi^,  the  brother  of  Germanicus,  and  uncle  of  the  late 
emperor,  a  prinr-e  of  weak  intellect,  was  raised  to  the  throne  by  the 
conspirators,  and  this  choice  was  sanctioned  by  the  senate.  This 
\vretched  idiot,  thus  placed  at  the  head  uf  the  empire,  was,  during 
his  entire  r^ign,  a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  worthless  and  unprin- 
cipled favoiites.  Among  thtse,  the  most  infamous  wiis  the  Empresa 
Mes&alina. 

2.  Th^  i^ign  of  Claudius  began  with  the  punishment  of  the  con 


2.  What  took  place  the  last  day?    3.  What  anecdote  is  given  of  a  senator?    4  5  0 
Describe  the  d«aih  of  Caligula.     7.  His  character.  '    ' 

CXL.  —  1.  Who  succeeded  Calisuli  ]    2   What  b*-^   e  of  tlie  conspirator*  7    3   Wh«. 


REIGN  OF  NERO. 


19 


spirators  against  Caligula.  These  were  put  tc  death,  not  for  the 
deed  iney  had  done,  but  because  it  was  suspected  that  they  had  a 
design  to  restore  the  ancient  constitution. 

3  Claudius,  notwithstanding  his  imbecile  character,  undertook  an 
expedition  into  Britain,  where  the  native  tribes  were  wasting  tlieir 
strength  in  mutual  wars.  The  Romans  now  commenced  a  series  of 
campaigns,  which  eventually  led  to  the  complete  subjugation  of  tlie 
southern  part  of  the  island. 

4.  Tlie  senate  granted  Claudius  a  magnificent  triumphal  preces- 
sion on  his  return,  and  Messalina,  whose  scandalous  conduct  was  now 
notorious,  accompanied  the  emperor  in  a  stately  chariot  during  the 
solemnity. 

5.  The  cruelty  of  this  woman  was  as  great  as  her  infamy,  and  at 
length  her  crimes  became  so  insufferable,  that  Claudius  put  her  to 
death.  Soon  afterwards,  the  emperor  married  his  niece,  Agrippina, 
the  widow  of  Domitius  Ahenobarbus,  by  whom  she  had  one  son. 
This  youth  was  originally  called  by  his  father's  name,  but  he  is  better 
known  in  liistory  by  that  of  Nero. 

6.  The  new  empress  showed  herself  avaricious,  ambitious  and 
cruel.  She  ruled  the  emperor,  appeared  with  him  in  the  senate,  sat 
on  the  same  throne  during  all  public  ceremonies,  and  gave  audience 
to  foreign  princes  and  ambassadors.  She  at  length  prevailed  upon 
her  husband  to  adopt  her  son,  Nero,  and  bequeath  him  the  empire,  in 
preference  to  his  own  son,  Britannicus. 

7.  But  Claudius  showing  some  signs  of  an  intention  to  restore  the 
succession,  Agrippina  caused  him  to  be  poisoned.  Having  previ- 
ously gained  over  the  commander  of  the  Praetorian  Guard,  she  con- 
cealed her  husband's  death  till  she  had  taken  the  steps  necessary  for 
the  accession  of  her  son. 


V 


CHAPTElt.  CXLll 
Reign  of  Nero, 

1.  Nero  became  emperor  A.  D.  54.  He  had  been  nurtured  in 
the  midst  of  crimes,  and  educated  for  the  stage  rather  than  for  the 
throne.  He  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age  at  his  accession,  and  he 
looked  on  the  empire  as  only  an  extensive  field  for  the  indulgence  of 
his  possioria. 

2.  He  soon  became  uneasy  of  his  mother's  imperious  rule,  and 
Agrippina,  finding  herself  neglected,  threatened  to  transfer  the  throne 
to  Britannicus.  This  was  the  signal  for  the  destruction  of  the  young 
l)rince.  Poison  was  administered  to  him  by  one  of  the  emper(»r's 
emissaries,  and  a  few  hours  after  hia  death,  his  body  was  exhibited  to 
the  public ;  for  so  little  care  had  the  emperor  of  concealing  his  share 


^^ 


took  place  in  Britain?    4.  What  of  the  triumph  of  Claudius?    5.  Of  Messalina?   6.  Of 
Agrippina?    7.  Describe  the  death  of  Claudius. 
CXIJ  •-!.  What  if  the  accession  of  Nero?    2.  Of  Agrippina  and  Britannicus?   3  Of 


'•¥ 


.92  ^  KEIGX  OKi^GKO.    ^^ 

in  the  murder,  that  th«  preparations  for  the  funeral  uere  niad*j  iu  i(>i 


riEIGN  OF  rfERO. 


the  poisgn  was  administered. 


^v     fj, 


:  Nero, 

3.  An  infamous  woman,  named  Poppaea  Sabina,  incited  Nero  to 
siill  p^reater  crimes.  Persuaded  that  during-  the  lifetime  of  Ajfrip- 
pina  she  could  not  remove  Ociavia,  the  wife  of  Nero,  and  become 
herself  a  partner  in  the  empire,  she  urged  the  latter  to  murder  his 
mother. 

4.  Nero  himself  was  anxious  for  the  removal  of  one  whom  he  so 
greatly  feared.  But  he  dreaded  the  resentment  of  the  Romans,  who. 
in  spite  of  her  crimes,  reverenced  the  last  representative  of  the  family 
of  Germanicus.  After  various  attempts  to  destroy  her  secretly  had 
failed,  he  despatched  a  body  of  armed  men  to  her  houre,  where  they 
murdered  her  in  her  bed. 

5.  The  death  of  Burrhus,  an  able  statesman,  happened  shortly 
afterwards;  this  event,  which  was  ascribed  to  poison,  was  a  great 
public  misfortune,  for  the  influence  of  Burrhus  had  restrained  thfi 
emperor  from  many  extravagances  in  which  he  was  prone  to  indulge. 

6.  Tigellinus,  a  person  infamous  for  every  crime,  became  the  new 
minister,  and  Nero  no  longea:  kept  within  the  bounds  of  ordinary 

Popjwa  Sahiiia?    4.  What  was  the  fate  of  Aarrippina?    5.  Of  Burrbjs?    H   Of  rieeJ 


193 


decency.  Seneca  w^as  banished  from  the  court,  Octavia  was  divorced 
and  afterwards  murdered,  and  finally  Poppaja  was  marriea"  to  the 
emperor. 

7.  A  tour  through  Italy  gave  Nero  an  opportunity  of  a])peaiing 
as  a  singer  on  the  stage  at  Naples,  and  hc^vas  excessively  gratified 
by  the  applause  with  which  the  multitude  red  his  vanity.  Soon  aftei 
hi3  jeturn  to  Rome,  a  dreadful  conflagration,  which  lasted  nine  days, 
desJ:royed  the*? reater  part  of  the  city,  and  it  was  generally  believcfi 
dial  it  had  been  kindled  by  the  emperor's  orders 


Nero  witnessing  the  Burning  of  Rome.  ^ 

8.  It  is  said  that  he  stood  upon  a  tower  during  the  conflagr^ibn, 
enjoying  the  sight,  and  singing  in  a  theatrical  manner,  to  the  vnusic 
of  his  harp,  the  burning  of  Troy.  To  silence  the  report  of  his  bein^ 
the  cau?e  r{  this  calamity,  Nero  charged  it  upon  the  Christians,  wh,,. 
then  began  to  attract  notice  in  Rome. 

9.  Nothing  could  be  more  dreadful  than  the  persecution  raised 
against  them  on  this  account.  Some  were  covered  with  the  skins 
of  wild  beasts,  and  in  that  disguise  devoured  by  dogs.  Some  were 
crucified,  and  others  bu^'it  alive.  "  When  the  day  was  not  suflficient 
for  their  tortures,'*  says  Tacitus,  "  the  flames  in  which  they  perished 
Bcrved  to  illuminate  the  night."  Nero,  dressed  like  a  charioteer, 
regaled  himself  wHh  a  view  of  their  tortures  from  his  gardens,  where 
he  entertained  the  people  with  their  suflJerings. 

10.  Of  the  fourteen  quarters  into  which  Rome  was  divided,  on)j 
n->ur  lemnined  entire  after  the  conflagration.  On  the  ruins  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  city,  Nero  erected  a  palace,  which  he  called  his  Golden 


>? 


liiuis?  7.  Of  Nero's  lour  Ihrouiih  Italy?  8.  What  was  his  l)ehavior  diirinslhe  hiirr.ing 
.»f  Xomo?  9.  Describe  the  persecution  of  the  Ciiristians  10,  Jl.  Describe  Nero't 
Golden  Palace. 

13 


'9. 


\ 


h 


194 


CRIMES  OF  NEFIO. 


y 


House  ll  contained  within  its  enclosure  artificial  lakes,  extenaivw 
woods  parks,  nrardens,  tHrchards,  vineyards,  &c.  The  entpnce  ol 
the  Golden  House  was  Sufficiently  lofty  to  admit  a  colossal  statui' 
of  the  emperor,  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  hi^h.  The  g~»illeries. 
which  rested  on  three  rows  of  tall  pillars,  were  each  a  mile  in  length 
11.  The  roof  was  covered  with  tiles  of  gold,  the  walls  were  over 
laid  with  the  same  metal,  and  richly  adorned  with  precious  stoima 
and  mother-of-pearl.  The  ceiling  of  one  of  the  banoueting-rooins 
represented  the  firmament  beset  with  stars,  turning  about  incessaiitl) , 
night  and  day,  and  showering  perfumed  water  on  the  guests. 


CHAPTER   CXLIl 

Crimes  of  Nero, 


vm^i 


1.  The  extravagant  expenditures  caused  by  this  sumptuous  edifice, 
the  restoration  of  the  city,  and  the  emperor's  luxuries,  exhausted  the 
public  treasury,  and  led  to  a  system  of  plunder  and  extortion  which 
nearly  caused  the  dissolution  of  the  empire.  Italy,  the  provinces,  and 
the  confederate  nations,  were  pillaged  and  laid  waste.  The  temples 
of  the  gods  and  tlie  houses  of  individuals  were  stripped  of  their 
treasures,  but  still  enough  could  not  be  obtained  to  support  the  em- 
peror's boundless  prodigality. 

2.  A  conspiracy  was  planned  against  him  by  Cncius  Piso,  and 
great  numbers  of  the  Roman  nobility  engaged  in  it.  The  discovery 
of  this  afforded  Nero  an  opportunity  to  glut  his  san<»uinary  disposi- 
tion. Most  of  the  leading  nobles  were  put  to  death,  and 'among  the 
ather  victims  were  Lucan,  the  poet,  and  Seneca,  the  pliilosopher. 

3.  In  the  midst  of  the  n^assacres,  Nero  appeared  on  the  stage  as  a 
candidate  for  the  prize  of  music,  which  of  course  he  gained.  About 
the  same  time  he  killed  the  empress  Poppaea  by  a  kick.  It  may 
appear  strange  that  such  repeated  atrocities  should  not  have  raised 
the  whole  Roman  people  in  rebellion. 

4.  But  the  lower  classes  felt  nothing  of  the  imperial  despotism, 
and  did  not  sympathize  with  the  nobles  in  their  calamities,  lH;caus(! 
the  ancient  oppressions  of  the  aristocracy  were  still  remenibererl. 
They  were,  besides,  gratified  by  a  monthly  distribution  of  corn,  by 
occasional  gifts  of  wine  and  meat,  and  by  the  magniticent  shows  of 
the  circus.     In  fact,  the  periods  of  tyranny  were  the  golden  days  ol 

"  the  poor;  and  Nero  was  far  more  popular'with  the  rabble  than  the 
most  eminent  man  of  the  republic  had  ever  been. 

5.  Not  satisfied  with  his  Italian  fame,  Nero  resolved  to  disjday  his 
musical  skill  at  the  Olympic  Games,  and  for  this  purjmse  he  passed 
over  into  Greece ;  where  he  received  great  applauses ;  yet  he  did  not 
abstain  frou>  pl,un(|ering  the  cbuntry  during  his  visit      While  ho  wa.i 


CXLn  1.  What  was  the  consequence  of  Nero'3  exlrava^inces ?  "2.  Who  moved  a 
conspiracy  ajainal  him?  What  was  the  consefiuence  1  3.  What  of  Nero  on  the  sta^e? 
His  cruelty?    4.  Ho'*  'id  the  lower  classes  regaal  him?     5    VVh;..  of  ih«  Olympic 


#. 


UKATti   OF  NKRO.  196 

ihus  eniraixed  the  rebellion  i>roke  out  in  Palestine,  which  led,  in  the 
end,  t    the  di'struction  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

6.  S)on  after  Nero's  return  to  l^ome,  formidable  insurrections 
burst  forth  in  the  western  })rovinces.  Julius  Vindex  raised  the  stan- 
dard of  revolt  in  Gau^  Scrvius  Galba  followed  his  exam|)le  in  Spain. 
From  this  moment  tho  tyrant  considered  his  ruin  almost  certain.  He 
received  tjie  account  of  Galba's  revolt  while  he  was  at  supper,  am] 
instantly,  struck  with  terror,  he  overturned  the  table  with  his  fool, 
breaking  two  crystal  vases  of  immense  value. 

7.  He  then  fell  into  a  s\^on,  and  on  coming  to  himself,  tore  his 
clothes  and  struck  his  head,  crying  out  that  he  was  utterly  undone. 
He  next  called  for  the  assistance  of  Locusia,  a  woman  famous  in  the 
art  of  poisoning,  to  furnish  him  with  the  means  of  death  ;  but  being 
prevented  in  this,  and  the  revolt  becoming  general,  he  ran  from  house 
to  house,  but  every  door  was  shut  against  him. 

8.  He  then  desired  that  one  of  hio  favorite  gladiators  might  despatch 
him,  but  no  one  would  obey.  "Alas!"  cried  he,  "have  I  neither 
friend  nor  enemy^^"  Then  running  desperately  forth,  he  seemed 
resolved  to  throw  himself  into  the  Tiber;  but  his  courage  failed  him  ; 
he  made  a  sudden  stop,  and  asked  for  some  sacred  place  where  he 
might  collect  lii'i  fortitude,  and  meet  death  with  becoming  spirit. 


CHAPTER   CXLIII. 

** . 
Death  of  Nero. 

1.  In  this  distress,  Phaon,  one  of  his  freedmen,  offered  Nero  his 
country-house,  about  four  miles  distant,  where  he  might  for  some  ' 
time  remain  concealed.  The  emperor  gladly  accepted  the  offer,  and 
with  his  head  covered,  hiding  his  face  with  his  handkerchief,  he 
mounted  on  horseback,  attended  by  four  of  his  domestics.  His  jour- 
ney, though  short,  was  crowded  with  adventures. 

2.  An  earthquake  gave  him  the  first  alarm.  The  lightning  of 
heaven  next  Hashed  in  his  face.  Round  him  he  heard  nothing  but 
confused  noises  Iroin  the  camp,  and  the  cries  of  the  people  imprecat 
ing  a  ihousajid  curses  on  his  head.  A  traveller,  meeting  him  on  his 
way,  said,  "There  go  men  in  pursuit  of  Nero."  Another  asked 
him  wliether  there  were  any  news  of  Nero  in  the  city. 

3.  Amid  such  eiicoiint(;rs  as  these,  his  horse  took  frijjht  at  a  d^ad 
body  that  lay  near  the  road.  Nero  dropped  his  handkerchief,  and  v\a.s 
recognized  by  a  soldier  who  haj)pened  to  be  passing.  The  soldi*  i 
accosted  him  by  name,  and  Nero  leaped  from  his  horse,  abandoned 
the  highway,  and  Cfitered  a  thh  ket  tliat  led  toward  the  back  part  of 
Phaon's  house,  nuking  the  best  of  his  way  among  the  reeds  and 
branbles  with  whic  .  the  place  was  overgrown. 


Gane*i?     6.   What   iusurp;ction   broke  out?     7,  8.  What  effect  had  the  news  upoc. 
.Verj  ? 
CXLlIl— 1.  Who  assisted  Nero  to  escape?    2,  3.   What  accidents  attended  it' 


OALBA 


iD  OTHO. 


197 


196 


DKATH  OF  NERO. 


4.  During  this  interval,  the  senate,  finding  that  the  Praetoriin 
Guards  had  taken  the  part  of  Galba,  proclaimed  him  emperor,  and 
condemned  Nero  to  die  "according  to  the  rigor  of  the  ancient 
laws."  When  he  was  told  of  this,  he  asked  what  it  meant,  and 
was  informed  that  the  criminal  was  to  be  stripped  naked,  set  in  a 
pillory,  and  be  beaten  to  death  with  rods. 

5.  Nero  was  so  terrified  at  this  that  he  seized  two  poniards  which 
he  had  brought  with  him,  and  made  a  movement  as  if  to  stab  him- 
self; but  again  losing  courage,  he  returned  them  to  their  sheaths, 
pretending  that  the  critical  moment  had  not  yet  arrived. 

().  lie  then  desired  Sporus,  one  of  his  attendants,  to  begin  the 
lamentation  which  was  used  at  funerals.  He  next  entreated  that 
one  of  those  around  him  would  die,  to  give  him  courage  by  his  ex- 
ample. Afterwards  he  began  to  reproach  himself  for  cowardice, 
crying  out,  *'  Does  this  become  Nero?  Is  this  trifling  well-timed? 
No  !  let  me  be  courageous !" 

7.  In  fact,  he  had  no  time  to  lose,  for  the  soldiers  in  pursuit  of 
him  were  just  then  approaching  the  house.  Upon  hearing  the 
sound  of  their  horses'  feet,  Nero  set  a  dagger  to  his  throat,  with 
which,  by  the  assistance  of  Epaphroditus,  his  secretary,  he  gave 
himself  a  mortal  wound. 

8.  He  was  not  quite  dead  w^hen  the  officer  sent  by  the  senate 
arrived  and  endeavored  to  stop  the  blood.  Nero,  looking  at  him 
sternly,  said,  "  It  is  too  late.  Is  this  your  fidelity?"  and  then,  with 
his  eyes  fixed  and  frightfully  starinjr,  he  expired. 

9.  His  body  was  interred  privately,  but  honorably,  and  many  of 
the  lower  ranks,  whose  favor  he  had  won  by  his  extravagant  libe- 
ralities, lamented  his  loss,  honored  his  memory,  and  brought 
flowers  to  decorate  his  tomb. 

10.  During  the  reign  of  Nero  the  provinces  were  harassed  by 
frequent  revolts.  The  Iceni  in  Britain  took  up  arms  under  their 
queen,  Boadicea,  and  falling  unexpectedly  on  the  Roman  colonies 
and  garrisons,  they  destroyed  great  numbers  both  of  the  Romans 
and  their  allies.  Could  this  courageous  female  chieftain  have 
secured  the  cooperation  of  all  the  native  tribes,  she  might  have 
liberated  her  country. 

11.  This  formidable  insurrection  was  quelled  by  Suetonius  Pauli- 
nus,  who  added  the  island  of  Anglesey  to  the  Roman  dominions, 
thus  taking  from  the  Druids,  who  were  the  secret  instigators  of 
resistance  to  all  foreign  power,  the  great  centre  both  of  their  reli- 
gion and  their  influence. 


4.  What  did  the  senate  decree?  5.  What  was  the  behavior  of  Nero  on  hparinp  thlnf 
8,  :,  8,  9.  Describe  his  death,  l*^  What  of  Boadicea  and  the  Britons?  11.  What  of 
Suetonius  Paulicus? 


CHAPTER   CXLIV. 

Galba  and  Otho. 

1.  Galba  vas  proclaimed  emperor  A.  U.  ^^8.  He  was  descended 
from  an  illustrious  family,  but  was  now  in  the  seventy-third  year  of 
his  age.  He  journeyed  slowly  towards  Rome,  and  Nymphidius,  the 
miuister  of  Nero,  took  advantage  of  this  to  make  an  attempt  for  the 
empire  himself,  by  bribing  the  Prajtorian  Guards. 

2.  But  his  conduct  during  the  reign  of  Nero  had  rendered  him  so 
deservedly  unpopular,  that  he  was  murdered  by  the  very  soldiers  w  ho 
had  taken  his  money.  This  rash  conspiracy  induced  Galba  to  sully 
the  commencement  of  his  reign  by  unreasonable  severities,  whicii 
gave  the  more  offence  to  his  subjects,  as  such  a  course  had  not  been 
anticipated. 

3.  It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  new  emperor,  however  virtuous 
himself,  was  the  tool  of  unwortliy  favorites,  who,  under  the  sanction 
of  his  name,  plundered  the  people,  and  deprived  the  soldiers  of  tiieir 
usual  donations.  A  revolt  of  the  legions  in  Upper  Germany  inducer^ 
Galba  to  nominate  as  his  successor  Cneius  Piso,  who  was  greatlv 

esteemed. 

4.  But  this  appointment  gave  great  offence  to  Otho,  who  had  been 
foremost  to  espouse  the  cause  of  Galba.  Taking  advantage  of  the 
discontent  of  the  Prastorian  Guards,  he  went  to  their  camp,  and  easily 
persuaded  these  turbulent  soldiers  to  proclaim  him  emperor.  In  ths 
struggle  which  ensued,  Galba  was  killed. 

6.  Otho,  thus  raised  to  the  empire,  A.  D.  69,  was,  during  his 
brief  reign,  a  passive  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the  licentious  sol- 
diers. Scarcely  had  he  seated  himself  on  the  throne,  when  a  rival 
started  up  in  the  person  of  V'itellius,  who  commanded  the  legions  in 
Lower  Germany. 

0.  Otho  departed  from  Rome  in  all  haste,  to  give  him  battle.  Both 
parties  hisiened  to  meet  each  other  with  such  precipitation,  that  three 
consi(leral)le  battles  were  foufjht  within  the  space  of  as  many  days. 

7.  At.  length  Otho's  forces  suffered  a  serious  defeat  at  Bodriacum, 
near  Cremona,  and  the  emperor,  having  learned  the  news,  asseml)led 
the  remainder  of  his  soldiers,  thanked  them  for  their  fidelity,  and  an- 
nounced l:is  intention  to  withdraw  from  the  contest,  that  he  might  n««t 
be  the  cause  of  further  bloodshed. 

8.  The  same  night  he  committed  suicide,  having  reigned  but  three 
months  and  five  days.  His  soldiers  deeply  regretted  his  death,  and 
it  must  be  admitted,  that  his  resolution  to  die,  in  order  to  save  his 
country  from  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war,  had  something  in  it  truly  heroic. 


CXMV  —1.  Who  succeeded  Nero?  2.  What  of  Nymphidius?  3.  How  was  tlw 
empire  t?<»verued  under  Gallia?  4.  What  was  the  fate  of  Galba?  5.  Who  succeeds! 
bill!  ?    6.  Wlial  rival  a{)|)e  «red  against  Oiho  ?     7,  8-  Wliai  was  the  end  jf  Otho  % 

17* 


/ 


193 


REIviN  OF  VITELLIUS. 


CHAPTER   CXLV. 

Reign  of  ViteUius, 

1.  ViTELtiiJS  havings  been  declared  emperor  by  the  senate,  f/ar- 
joned  all  the  adherents  of  Otho,  and  then  set  out  for  Rome,  in  all 
the  splendor  and  magnificence  which  he  could  command.  While  he 
was  sitting  in  painted  galleys,  bedecked  with  garlands  and  flowers, 
and  feasting  on  delicacies,  his  soldiers  were  plundering  in  every  quar- 
ter, without  restraint. 

2.  He  entered  Rome  as  if  it  were  a  conquered  city,  and  the  scnato 
and  people  marched  before  him  as  if  they  had  been  prisoners  taken 
in  battle.  After  haranguing  the  citizens,  and  receiving  the  homage 
which  his  liberal  promises  had  drawn  forth,  he  quietly  settled  himself 
in  his  palace,  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  which  his  gluttony  and  luxuri 
ous  habits  had  rendered  the  chief  happiness  of  his  life. 

3.  The  administration  of  public  affairs  was  intrusted  to  the  lowest 
and  vilest  of  his  favorites,  and  the  soldiers  forgot  the  art  of  war 
amid  their  unrestrained  debaucheries.  Vitellius  thought  of  nothing 
but  regaling  himself  with  costly  viands,  and  had  learned  the  art  of 
renewing  the  pleasure  of  his  meals  by  disgorging  the  food  whicU  had 
alieady  ministered  to  his  appetite. 


Vitellihs  and  Guests  at  a  Banquet. 

4.  The  details  of  his  gluttony  would  detract  from  the  dignity  of 
(■-istory.  He  invited  himself  to  breakfast  with  one  man,  to  dinner 
*'ith  another,  and  to  supper  with  a  third.     The  influence  of  his 


CXLV.  — 1.  What  of  the  accession  of  Vitellius?  2.  How  did  he  enter  Rome?  3.  What 


DEATH  OF  VITELLIUS 


109 


jourticrs  depend  d  on  the  frequency  of  their  entertainments,  and  the 
skill  with  vvljicli  tliey  w<Te  managed. 

5.  A  dinner  which  was  given  to  him  by  his  brother  Lucius,  con 
fisted  of  two  thousand  dishes  of  fish,  and  seven  thousand  of  fowl. 
One  of  the  dishes,  called  the  **  Shield  of  Minerva,"  was  an  olio  com- 
posed of  the  sounds  of  the  fish  called  scarrus,  the  brains  of  woodcocks 
md  pheasants,  the  tongues  of  rare  birds,  and  the  spawn  of  lampreys 
rom  the  Caspian  Sea. 

6.  Not  contenf  with  the  gratification  of  his  palate,  Vitellius  now 
sought  for  pleasure  in  acts  of  cruelty.  Even  those  who  ate  with 
him  at  the  same  table,  were  put  to  death  by  him  without  compunc- 
tion. When  he  visited  one  of  his  parasites  who  lay  ill  with  a  taginij 
fever,  he  put  poison  in  a  cup  of  water,  and  administered  it  with  his 
own  hand. 

7.  The  monster  even  avowed  that  he  derived  pleasure  from  the 
torments  of  his  victims.  On  one  occasion,  when  he  had  sentenced  a 
father  to  death,  he  executed  his  two  sons  with  him  for  begging  the 
life  of  their  parent. 

8.  Wlien  a  Roman  knight  was  dragged  to  execution,  and  expected 
to  save  his  life  by  declaring  that  he  had  made  the  emperor  his  heir, 
Vitellius  obtained  a  sight  of  the  will,  and  finding  that  he  was  only 
joint  heir  with  another,  he  put  both  to  death  to  secure  all  the  prop- 
erty to  himself. 

y.  These  intolerable  tyrannies  at  length  roused  the  indignation 
even  of  the  abject  Romans.  The  legions  of  the  east  began  the  re- 
volt, and  pr(»claimed  Vespasian  emperor  while  he  was  carrying  on 
the  siege  of  Jerusalem.  Their  example  was  followed  by  i  ,  armies 
in  Maesia,  Pannonia,  and  Egypt.  * 

10.  Vespasian  wiis  declared  emperor  at  Alexandria,  without  his 
consent,  but  the  soldiers  compelled  him  to  accept  the  high  dignity. 
He  assembled  his  officers  \r  consult  upon  measures  to  be  pursued  in 
this  conjunction,  and  it  was  resolved  that  his  son  Titus  should  con- 
duct the  war  in  Judea,  that  Mutianus  should  proceed  to  Italy  with 
the  greater  part  of  the  legions,  and  that  Vespasian  should  levy  a  ne  v 
army  in  the  east. 


CHAPTER   CXLVT. 

"  Death  of  Vitellius, 

1.  Vitellius,  '^hen  he  heard  of  tlie  revolt,  made  preparations  foi 
J»;feiice.  His  arn  y,  under  the  command  of  Valens  and  Ca^cina,  mei 
the  forces  of  Vespasiaii,  commanded  by  Antonius  Primus,  near  Cre- 
mona. When  a  battle  was  exper-ied,  Cajcina  deserted  to  Vespasian, 
but  4^ntonius  led  on  the  attack 

2.  TliiB  battle,   whicli   lasted   till  night,  was   renewed   the  next 


was  hU  administration  ?    4.  5.  What  of  his  gluttony  ?    6,  7,  8.  His  cruelties  I    9,  Wlia. 
insurrections  arose?     10.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Vespasian? 


2UU 


DEATH  UF        .ELLIUS. 


morning,  when  the  troops  of  Vitellius  crave  way,  and  were  routeJ 
with  a  loss  of  thirty  liu.usand  men.  'Die  approach  of  the  victors  to 
Rome  ^iis  opposed  by  a  small  number  of  troops  th^t  guarded  the 
passes  of  the  Apennines. 

3.  But  when  Viteliius  heard  that  his  fleet  had  declared  againsl 
him,  he  made  an  oflJer  to  resign  the  empire  to  A'espasian.  In  the 
confusion  occasioned  at  Rome  by  these  proceedin^rs,  one  Sabinus 
seized  the  capitol,  but  the  soldiers  of  Vitellius  attacked  him ;  in  their 
struggle  the  capitol  was  set  on  fire  and  totally  destroyed^  with  all  its 
valuable  furniture,  ornamer^ts,  works  of  art,  and  ancient  public  records 

4.  Antonius,  disn^garding  all  the  messages  and  olfers  of  A'itellius 
marched,  without  delay,  lo  Rome.  He  attacked  the  city  on  three 
sides,  drove  the  defenders  within  the  walls,  and  slaughtered  them  in 
great  numbers.  The  reckless  and  abandoned  populace  seemed  insen- 
sible to  the  disgrace  of  the  empire.  While  all  around  them  present- 
ed scenes  of  bloodshed  and  horror,  they  celebrated  the  riotous  feast 
of  the  Saturnalia,  and  thought  only  of  drunkenness  and  debauchery. 

5.  Amidst  this  chaos  of  slaughter,  riot,  and  vice,  the  wretched 
V  itellius  wandered  about,  forsaken  even  by  his  own  slaves.     The 
troops  of  Antonius  at  length  made  themselves  masters  of  the  city 
and  the  emperor  was  dragged  from  the  obscure  hidincr-place  intJ 
which  he  had  crept  for  concealment.  ° 

6.  Hoping  to  prolong  his  wretched  existence,  he  hcgo-ed  that  he 
might  be  kept  in  prison  till  the  arrival  of  Vespasian,  to  whom  he 
[)ramised  to  communicate  important  secrets.  His  petition,  however, 
was  vain.  The  soldiers,  binding  his  liands,  and  putting  a  haltr'i 
round  his  neck,  dragged  him,  half  naked,  into  the  forum,  loading 
^iiin  with  curses  and  insults.  ° 

7.  They  tied  his  hair  backwards,  and  held  the  point  of  a  sword 
beneath  his  chin,  to  prevent  him  from  hiding  his  face.  Some  threw 
mud  upon  him,  others  struck  him  with  their  fists,  others  ridiculed  his 
red  face  and  enormous  corpulence.  Finally,  they  killed  him  with 
'•lows,  dragged  his  body  through  the  streets,  and  threw  it  into  the 
1  iber. 

8.  Thus  terminated  the  reign  of  Vitellius,  the  most  ignoble  and 
beastly  of  all  the  Roman  emperors ;  it  lasted  only  eight  months. 
Ihe  soldiers,  availing  themselves  of  the  opportunity  for  plunder,  pur- 
sued the  fugitives  into  the  houses  and  temi»les,  and  committed  every 
species  of  rapine  and  cruelty. 

1).  But  the  arrival  of  Mutianus,  the  g.  neral  of  Vespasian,  put  a 
stop  to  these  a*,rocities,  and  Rome  was  reestablished  in  tranquillity, 
llie  senate  and  the  army  concurred  in  declaring  Vespasian  emperor 
and  messengers  were  sent  to  him  in  Egypt,  requesting  him  to  rf.tuni 
to  Rome,  A.  D.  09. 


CXLVI.  — 1.  What  of  Val«ns  ami  Cfecina?     2.  Of  the  balile  of  Cremona  7     1    i    \\  nil 
oapiH^ned  al  Rome  }     5.  6.  7.  Dw-cribe  the  death  of  Vilell.u..      8,  9.  Whai  f  I  JllJ. 


REIGN   O      VESPASIAN. 


201 


IcxLvnj 


CHAPTER 

Reign  of  Vespasian. 

1.  Vespasian  commanded  the  Roman  annics  in  the  east  during 
rhe  preceding  events,  which  resulted  in  elevating  him  to  the  throne 
His  arrival  in  the  city  restored  tranquillity,  and  diffused  universal  joy 
throughout  the  empire.  His  first  care  was  to  restore  the  discipline 
of  the°army.  He  next  revived  the  authority  of  the  senate,  supplying 
its  diminished  ranks  with  eminent  men  from  the  provinces  and  colo- 
nies. 

2.  Finally,  he  reformed  the  courts  of  law,  which  had  long  ceased 
lo  show  any  regard  to  justice.  The  virtues  of  Vespasian,  supported 
by  a  firm  temper,  led  to  a  great  improvement  in  the  social  condition  of 
Rome.     His  only  fault  was  an  extravagant  love  of  money. 

3.  The  Jews,  who  had  risen  in  rebellion  some  time  previous,  were 
completely  subdued  during  the  reign  of  Vespasian.  These  people, 
deceived  by  false  prophets,  who  promised  them  a  temporal  delivei  • 
ance,  persevered  in  their  rebellion  long  after  every  reasonable  chance 
of  success  had  disappeared. 

4.  They  were  divided  into  hostile  factions,  who  fought  against 
each  other  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  while  the  Roman  armies  were 
nattering  its  walls,  and  they  refused  proffered  mercy  when  the  Roman 
stxmdards  were  set  upon  their  battlements. 


Vespasian  before  Jerusalem. 
b    Vespasian  and  his  son  Titus  carried  on  the  war  against  them 


CXLVII.  —  1.  How  did  Vespasian  liegin  his  reign  ?    2.  Wh;jt  was  his  character?    3. 
Wl»at  of  the  Jews?    4.  Their  factions?    5.  What  of  the  siege  and  capture  of  Jerusalem? 


202 


aeigx  of  VESFASIA.N. 


for  some,  lime,  l)iu  wljcn  the  former  departed  i*cr  Rome,  lo  lake 
possession  of  the  empire,  the  command  was  left  with  Titus.  The 
siege  of  Jerusalem  was  pressed  with  such  vifjor,  and  the  Jev>s  were 
at  len^rth  ^o  exhausted  hy  famine  and  their  intestine  wars,  that  the 
Romans  captured  the  city  by  storm,  A.  D.  72. 

6  The  punishment  inflicted  upon  this  devoted  people  was  dreadful. 
The  city  and  temple  were  reduced  to  heaps  of  sliapeless  ruins  ;  the 
best  and  bravest  of  the  nation  fell  by  the  swords  of  the  Romans  or 
their  own  hands  ;  most  of  the  wretched  suvvivors  were  sold  into 
slavery  ;  and  the  Jews,  since  that  period,  dispersed  over  the  face  of  (he 
earth,  have  become  outcasts  and  wanderers  amon<j  nations. 

7.  Titus  and  his  father  were  honored  with  a  splendid  triuinj)h  iit 
Rome  on  account  of  this  success,  and  the  rich  ornaments  of  the  tem- 
ple of  Jerusalem  were  displayed  in  tlie  procession.  A  triumphal 
arch  was  also  erected  to  Titus,  on  which  his  noble  deeds  were  sculp- 
tured. This  interesting  structure  remains  standing  at  the  present 
day. 


CHAPTER  CXLVIII. 

Rcig/i  of  Vespasian,  conlinued. 


{J  iJ 


c 


r) 


1.  Vespasian,  havinjj  settled  all  the  affairs  of  the  empire  in  inn 
quillity,  had  the  satisfaction  of  shutting  the  temple  of  Janus,  which 
had  been  open  for  six  years.     He  then  applied  himself  to  the  task  of 
securing  the  welfare  of  the  people   by   ii'oral   as  well  as  political 
reforms. 

2.  He  restored  the  ancient  discipline  of  the  army  ;  he  abridged  ana 
improved  the  course  of  proceedings  in  courts  of  justice,  and  it  was 
said  that  during  his  long  reign  no  individual  suffered  from  injustice  or 
a  severe  decree. 

3.  Vespasian  extended  his  fostering  care  to  the  arts  and  sciences 
to  the  restoration  of  the  public  buildings,  and  the  improvement  of  the 
city.     He  patronized  Josephus,  the  Jewish  historian,  Quintilian,  the 
rhetorician,  and    Pliny,  the    naturalist.      He  invited    to   Rome  the 
most  celebrated  masters  and  artificers,  from  every  part  of  the  world. 

4.  He  restored  the  capitol  to  its  original  splendor;  he  built  the 
celebrated  amphitheatre,  whose  ruins,  now  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Coliseum,  attest  the  grandeur  of  ancient  Rome.  He  also  founded 
new  cities,  and  repaired  the  old  ones  which  had  suffered  f~(mi  the 
devastations  of  his  predecessors. 

5.  The  clemency  of  Vespasian  was  not  less  celebrated  than  his 
wisdom.  He  settled  a  handsome  dowry  on  the  daughter  of  Vitellius  ; 
and  when  plots  were  organized  against  him,  he  refused  to  punish  the 
conspirators.     The  only  exceptions  to  this  mild  and  forgiving  policy, 

6.  What  was  ihe  fate  of  the  Jews  and  their  city  ?    7.  Of  the  triumph  of  Tiiud  and  Ves- 

pl.:i.tll  ? 

CXLVIII.  —  1  What  of  the  temple  of  Janus  ?  2,  3.  Of  Veapasian's  adminiBiration  1 
1.  Of  his  building?  5.  Of  his  clemency  ^  G  What  was  the  fate  of  fSabinua;  7.  Whal 
jB  saiM  of  Vespasian's  avarice  ? 


/ 


KEIGN  OF  TITUS. 


20? 


occurred  in  the  case  of  Julius  Sabinus,  who  had  proclaimed  himself 
emperor  on  the  death  of  Vitellius. 

6.  This  rash  aspirant  for  the  purple,  after  having  been  defeated  by 
Vespasian's  army,  concealed  himself  for  nine  years  in  a  cave,  where 
lie  was  attended  by  his  faithful  wife  Empona,  who  provided  him  with 
the  means  of  subsistence.  Sabinus  was  at  length  discovered,  and 
carried  prisoner  to  Rome,  where  he  was  put  to  death. 

7.  Vespasian,  notwithstanding  the  wisdom  that  characterized  his 
administration,  has  been  charged  with  avarice  and  rapacity.  He 
revived  taxes  which  had  fallen  into  disuse,  and  was  believed  to  have 
made  great  profits  by  speculations  in  trade.  Perhaps  these  acts  may 
be  excused  by  the  exhausted  state  of  the  treasury  when  he  came  to 
the  throne,  and  the  necessities  occasioned  by  the  inroads  of  the  bar- 
barians, who  ravaged  the  eastern  provinces  till  they  were  finally 
defeated  by  Titus. 


CHAPTER    CXLIX. 
Reign  of  Titus, 


Titus. 


1.  After  a  reign  of  ten  years,  Vespasian  died  of  an  illness,  ..: 
f^ampania,  A.  D.  79.     He  was  succeeded  by  Titus,  though  soinf 


•<f,)l 


KEIGxN   OF  TITUS. 


Opposition  v».»s  made  by  Domitian,  his  brother,  who  alU  np(j  that  lui 
fiithers  will  h.ifl  been  altered. 

2.  Til  us,  in  his  youth,  had  been  fond  of  pleasure  and  dissipation, 
yet  no  sooner  did  he  ascend  the  throne  than  he  reformed  his  habits, 
and  became  a  pattern  of  reirularity  and  moderation.  His  frenerosity 
and  love  of  justice,  his  hatred  of  informers,  his  care  to  prevent  dis- 
sensions, his  obliging  disposition,  and  his  readitiess  on  all  occasions 
to  do  good,  procured  for  him  the  enviable  appellation  of  the  Delight 
of  Mankind. 

3.  Having  called  to  mind  one  evening  that  l:e  had  done  no  benefi- 
cent action  within  the  past  twenty-four  hours,  he  exclaimed.  **  f  have 
lost  a  day !"  an  expression  which  has  since  become  proverbial 

4.  During  the  reign  of  Titus,  A.  D.  70,  happened  the  greatest 
eruption  oi'  Vesuvius  that  has  ever  been  known,  causing  immense 
damage,  and  overwhelming  the  cities  of  llerculaneum  and  Pompeii. 
In  this  catastrophe,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  Pliny  the  Elder,  lost  his 
life.  His  nephew,  Pliny  the  Younger,  has  given  a  most  interesting 
account  of  this  event  in  one  of  his  letters,  from  which  we  shall  make 
the  following  extract :  — 

5.  *'  My  uncle  was  at  that  time  with  the  fleet  under  his  command, 
at  Misenum.  On  the  21th  of  August,  about  one  in  the  afternoon, 
my  mother  desired  him  to  observe  a  cloud  which  appeared,  of  a  very 
unusual  size  and  shape.  He  had  just  returned  from  enjoying  the 
benefit  of  the  sun,  and  after  bathing  in  cold  water  and  taking  a  slight 
repast,  had  retired  to  his  study.  He  immediately  rose  and  went  out 
upon  an  eminence  from  which  he  might  more  distinctly  view  this  very 
singular  phenomenon.  It  was  not  at  that  distance  discernible  from 
what  mountain  this  cloud  issued,  but  it  was  found  afterward  to  pro- 
ceed from  Vesuvius. 

6.  "  I  cannot  give  a  more  exact  description  of  its  figure,  than  by 
comparing  it  to  that  of  a  pine  tree  ;  for  it  shot  up  to  a  great  height  in 
the  form  of  a  tall  trunk,  which  spread  at  the  top  into  a  sort  of 
branches,  occasioned,  I  suppose,  either  by  the  force  of  the  internal 
vapor  which  impelled  the  cloud  upwards,  decreasing  in  strength  as  it 
advanced,  or  by  the  cloud  being  pressed  back  by  its  own  weight,  and 
thus  expanding.  It  appeared  sometimes  bright,  and  sometimes  dark 
and  spotted,  apparently  more  or  less  impregnated  with  earth  and 
cinders. 

7.  "  This  uncommon  appearance  excited  my  uncle's  philosopliical 
curiosity  to  take  a  nearer  view  of  it.  He  accordingly  ordered  a  light 
vessel  to  be  prepared,  and  offered  me  the  liberty,  if  Ithought  proj)er, 
to  attend  him.  I  rather  chose  to  continue  the  employnjent  in  which 
I  was  engaged,  for  it  happened  that  he  had  given  me  a  certain  writing 
to  copy. 

8.  "As  he  was  going  out  of  the  house  with  his  tablets  in  his 
hand,  he  was  met  by  the  sailors  belonging  to  the  gallevs  stationed  at 
Retifia,  from  which  they  had  fled  in  the  utmost  terror,  for  that  port 
being  situated  at  the  foot  of  Vesuvius,  they  had  no  other  wa)  to 


CXLIX.  —  1.  Wno  succeeded  Vespasian  ?  2.  What  was  'he  chancier  of  TUum?  '6 
What  sayiiiJ!  is  recoried  of  him?  4.  What  remarkahie  e'ent  happened  in  hU  reign' 
b—ld    Relate  the  aiory  of  the  deati  of  Pliny  the  Xaiuralisl. 


tvhiuN   OF   'IITLS 


205 


escape  than  by  sea.  They  conjured  him,  therefore,  not  to  proceed 
and  expose  his  life  to  such  "mminent  danger.  He  altered  his  inten- 
tion, and  instead  of  gratifying  his  philosophical  spirit,  he  resigned  it 
to  the  more  magnanimous  principle  of  aiding  the  distressec. 

9.  "  With  this  view,  he  ordered  the  fleet  immediately  to  put  to  sen, 
and  went  himself  on  board,  with  an  intention  of  assistinir  not  onlv 
Retina,  but  the  other  towns  which  stood  thick  upon  that  beautifiij 
coast.  Hastening  to  the  place,  therefore,  from  which  others  fled  with 
the  utmost  terror,  he  steered  his  direct  course  to  the  point  of  danger, 
and  w  iih  so  much  calmness  and  presence  of  mind  as  to  be  able  to  make 
and  dictate  his  observations  upon  the  appearance  and  progress  of  that 
dreadful  scene. 

10.  "  He  was  now  so  near  the  mountain  that  the  cinders,  which 
grew  thicker  and  hotter  the  more  he  advanced,  fell  into  the  ships, 
together  with  pumice-stones  and  black  pieces  of  burning  rock.  They 
were  likewise  in  danger,  not  only  of  being  left  aground  by  the  sudden 
retreat  of  the  sea,  but  also  from  the  vast  fragments  which  rolled 
down  from  the  mountain  and  obstructed  all  the  shore.  Here  he 
slopped  to  consider  whether  he  should  return  back,  to  which  the 
pilot  advising  him,  *  Fortune,'  said  he,  '  befriends  the  brave ;  steer 
to  Pomponianus.' 

11.  "  Pomponianus  was  then  at  Stabiap,  separated  by  a  gulf  wnich 
the  sea,  after  many  windings,  forms  upon  that  shore.  Pomponianus 
had  already  sent  his  baggage  on  board  ;  for  though  he  was  not  at  that 
time  in  actual  danger,  yet  being  extremely  near,  he  was  determined, 
if  it  should  increase,  to  put  to  sea  as  soon  as  the  wind  should 
change. 

12.  "It  was  favorable,  however,  for  carrying  my  uncle  to  Pom- 
ponianus, whom  he  found  in  the  greatest  consternation  ;  and  em- 
bracing him  with  tenderness,  he  encouraged  and  exhorted  him  to 
keep  up  his  spirits.  The  more  to  dissipate  his  fears,  he  ordered  his 
servants,  with  an  air  of  unconcern,  to  carry  him  to  the  baths  ;  and 
after  having  bathed,  he  sat  down  to  supper  with  cheerfulness,  or  at 
least  the  appearance  of  it. 

13.  "  In  the  mean  while,  the  fire  of  Vesuvius  flamed  forth  from 
several  parts  of  the  mountain  with  great  violence,  which  the  darkness 
of  the  night  contributed  to  render  still  more  visible  and  dreadful. 
But  my  uncle,  in  order  to  calm  the  apprehensions  of  his  friend, 
assured  him  it  was  only  the  conflagration  of  the  villages  which  the 

JO  o 

country  people  had  abandoned. 

14.  "  After  this,  he  retired  to  rest,  and  was  so  little  discomposed 
as  to  fall  into  a  deep  sleep.  The  court  which  led  to  his  apartment 
being  now  almost  filled  with  stones  and  ashes,  it  would  have  been 
impossible,  if  he  had  delayed  much  longer,  for  him  to  have  made  his 
wny  out ;  it  was,  therefore,  thought  proper  to  awaken  him.  He  got 
up,  and  joined  Pomponianus  an  J  the  rest  of  the  company. 

15.  "  They  consulted  together  whether  it  would  be  most  prudent  to 
trust  to  the  houses,  which  now  shook  from  side  to  side  with  violen* 
convulsions,  or  flee  to  the  open  fields,  where  the  stones  and  cinders 
fell  in  large  showers,  and  threatened  them  with  "nstant  destruction. 

IB    *'  In  this  distress  they  resolved  for  the  fie  ds,  as  the  less  daw 

la 


-tua: 


206 


HERCULANEUM   AND  POMPEII. 


serous  of  the  two  ;  a  resolution  which,  while  the  rest  t,t'  the  company 
were  hurried  into  by  their  fears,  my  uncle  embraced  upon  cool  a',d 
dehherate  consideration.  They  wont  out,  having  pillows  tied  upoc. 
their  heads  with  napkins,  as  a  defence  against  the  storm  of  stones 
which  rained  round  them. 

17.  ^'  It  was  now  day  everywhere  else,  but  Mere  a  deeuer  darkncsa 

oZrilt'^^T*  ^^",^^^^^\^^^  night ;  they  had,  however," torches  and 
other  lights.  1  hey  thought  it  expedient  to  go  down  further  upon  the 
shore  in  order  to  observe  if  they  might  safely  put  out  to  sea;  but 
they  lound  IH-,  %vaves  still  running  excessively  hi^rh 

18.  "Tuere,  my  uncle,  having  drunk  a  draugh't  or  two  of  cold 
water,  laid  hmiself  down  upon  a  sailcloth,  when  immediately  X\u^ 
fla.nes,  preceded  by  a  strong  smell  of  sulphur,  dispersed  the  rest  of 
the  company  and  forced  him  to  rise.  He  raised  himself  up  with  the 
a.ssi|<iance  of  two  ot  his  servants,  and  instantly  fell  down  dead 

1.).  'He  was  sulfocated,  as  I  conjecture,  by  some  noxious  vapor, 
hiving  always  had  weak  lungs,  and  being  fre(,uenily  subject  to  a  dif- 

till  the  lurd  day  after,  his  body  was  found  entire,  and  without  any 
marks  of  violence,  exactly  in  the  posture  in  which  he  fell,  -^nd  lookini. 
more  like  a  man  asleep  than  dead." 


CHAPTER   CL. 

Hercnlaiieiun  and  Pompeii. 

1.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Hcr- 
cu  aneum  and  Pompeu  had  sufficient  warning  of  the  approach  no 
calamity  to  make  their  escape,  and  that  most  of  them  didTo ;  b  il 
s  eviden  that  some  of  them  delayed  their  flight,  until  it  was  too  ite 
to  save  themselves,  as  is  proved  by  the  remains  of  human  beit^s 
D^v^rtliken^h^^^^^  ""^  *''''''  instantaneously  death  must  hive 

2^  Seventeen  persons  were  thus  discovered  in  the  cellar  of  a  house 
at  Pompeii,  enclosed  in  a  hard  substance,  which  probably  burst  into 
the  vault  in  a  li<iuid  form,  and  hardened  as  it  cooled.  When  is 
cellar  was  excavated  the  perfect  mould  of  a  woman  with  a  child' in  her 
arms  was  found  in  the  solid  substance  that  had  filled  it;  and  w  t  In 
this  mould  were  two  skeletons,  the  larger  of  which  had  a  chain  ? 
gold  round  the  neck,  and  rings  on  the  fincrers 

3.  In  the  barracks  were  discovered  the  remains  of  two  soldiers 
chained  to  the  stocks,  who  had,  no  doubt,  been  forgotten  ^nTZ 
^error,  darkness    and  confusion  of  that  dreadful  day.     Those  wlo 
escaped  from  the  devoted   cities  would  naturally  carry  awav  with 
th.m  all  their  most  valuable  effects  ;  nor  could  they  have  imlnne 
that  what  they  left  behind  them    .ould  be  cf  so^iS  his  o  ic'j 


HERCULANiUM  AND  POMPE  I. 


207 


importance  in  after  ages,  when  all  other  traces  of  the  domestic  life  oi 
tlio  Romans  would  have  long  since  been  obliterated. 


Roman  Villa 

4.  The  houses  at  Pompeii  and  Herculaneum,  and,  most  probably, 
df  all  the  provincial  towns  of  Italy,  in  the  time  of  the  Roman  em- 
perors, were  only  one  or  two  stories  high,  consisting  of  a  number  of 
small  rooms  built  round  a  court,  over  the  entrance  of  which  was 
written  the  name  of  the  owner.  The  shops  were  open  to  the  streets, 
with  folding  doors,  like  a  coach-house,  and  signs  i)ainted  over  them, 
denoting  the  trade  carried  on  within.  At  Pompeii,  many  of  these 
were  taverns,  where  hot  wine,  and  a  liquor,  supposed  to  be  mead, 
were  sold. 

5.  Some  of  the  wine  was  still  remaining  in  earthen  vessels  of 
various  forms,  called  Amphora) ;  and  drinking  cups  were  standing  on 
the  marble  slabs,  when  the  cities  were  reopened.  Olives  were  also 
found,  in  a  jar,  in  a  wonderful  state  of  preservation  ;  a  box  of  pills 
stood  on  the  counter  of  an  apothecary  ;  and  in  a  fruiterer's  shop, 
were  chestnuts,  walnuts,  and  almonds,  without  any  signs  of  decay. 

6.  The  articles  for  domestic  and  professional  use  were  very  similar 
to  our  own,  and  prove  that  the  Romans  were  perfectly  well  acquainted 
with  the  useful  arts ;  since,  among  the  numerous  relics  so  strangely 
preserved,  are  needles,  scissors,  compasses,  fine  surgical  instruments, 
.silver  spoons,  and  all  kinds  of  kitchen  utensils,  as  well  as  tools  for 
working  at  different  trades. 

7.  But  the  most  remarkable  specimens  of  Roman  art  are  the  metal 
stamps  used  by  trades-people  to  mark  their  goods,  and  also  to  impress 


CL.  —  !.  What  became  of  the  inhabitanU  of  Hercubnenm  in.l  Pnmn«;,  i    o    \mv.  . 
d.3.„v„y  wo.  maJe  i»  a  cellar  al  Pon.pefi ,    3    What  i.'Sof  t hefelli  J  \  ^'^^ 


were  the  houses  of  Pornpcii  built?  The  shops?  5.  What  of  the  wine  found  at  Pmupeii  1 
The  olives,  &c.  ?  6.  Wliat  of  the  articles  for  domestic  use  1  7.  Tlie  stamps?  What  »•* 
Mid  of  printing  7 


i^OS 


REIGN  OF  DOMITIAX. 


REIGN  OF  DOMITIAN. 


209 


letters  on  vax,  for  the  purpose  of  teachinj?  children  to  read  No< 
that  tlierc  was  anything  wonderful  in  the  stamps  themselves  ;  bur 
how  was  r,,  we  may  ask,  that  a  people  so  highly  civilized,  and  actu- 
ally practising  the  art  of  printing  to  the  extent  of  marking  names, 
should  not  have  thought  of  applying  it  to  the  nobler  purposes  of 
spreading  knowledge  over  the  world  ?  If  the  Romans  had  possessed 
orinted  books,  there  would  probably  never  have  been  any  dark  a.areM 

CHAPTER  CLI. 

Reign  of  Domitian, 


^he  Wije  of  Domitian  'procuring  his  Assassination. 

1.  Titus  was  carried  off  by  a  fever,  in  the  third  year  of  his  reign 
ITe  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Domitian,  who  was  suspected  oi 
having  contributed  to  this  catastrophe  by  poison.  The  new  emperor 
began  his  reign  with  the  character  of  a  liberal,  just,  and  humane 
prince.  He  refused  the  legacies  which  had  been  left  him,  because 
the  testators  had  children  of  their  own. 

2.  lie  sat  whole  days  revising  the  sentences  of  the  judges,  and  he 
detested  every  sort  of  cruelty  to  such  a  degree  that  he  forbade  the 
sacrifice  of  oxen.  He  furnished  the  libraries  which  had  suff(;red  by 
fire  with  new  books,  and  sent  persons,  to  Alexandria  to  transcribe 
manuscripts  for  this  purpose. 

3.  These  fair  promises,  however,  were  soon  blighted.  The  mind 
of  Domitian  became  engrossed  with   the   pursuits  of  archery  and 

CLI.  —  1   Who  succeeded  Titus?    2.  How  did  Domitian  begin  his  reign?    3  \Vha» 


J) 


^.xning,  and  his  chief  ambition  was  to  entertain  the  public  with  sports 
and  exhibitions  ;  and  to  preside  in  ostentatious  pomp  for  the  purpose 
ol  distributing  rewards. 

4.  His  hours  of  seclusion  were  spent  in  killing  flies  and  stabbing 
them  with  a  bodkin.  One  of  his  servants,  Vibius,  being  asked, 
on  a  certain  occasion,  whether  any  person  was  with  the  emperor, 
answered,  "  No  one,  not  even  a  fly." 

5.  His  next  passion  seems  to  have  been  for  military  reputation, 
which  led  him  to  envy^he  glory  of  his  generals.  One  of  these, 
Agricola,  made  a  successful  campaign  against  the  Caledonians,  and 
defeated  their  chief,  Galgacus.  He  sailed  round  Britain,  and  discov 
ered  for  the  first  time  that  it  was  an  island ;  he  also  discovered  the 
Orcades,  or  Orkney  Islands,  and  subjected  them  to  the  Roman 
power. 

6.  For  these  brilliant  successes,  Agricola  was  envied  and  hated  by 
Domitian,  who  recalled  him  to  Italy  under  the  pretence  of  appointing 
him  to  the  government  of  Syria.  But  on  his  arrival  at  Rome,  he 
was  received  with  great  coolness,  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  was 
shortly  after  taken  ill,  and  died,  not  without  strong  suspicions  of  being 
poisoned  by  order  of  the  emperor. 

7.  In  order  to  make  himself  a  great  general,  Domitian  now  organ- 
ized an  army  and  marched  into  Gaul,  pretending  an  expedition  against 
•he  Germans.  But  this  mighty  attempt  came  to  nothing,  and  the 
emperor  never  saw  the  face  of  an  enemy. 

8.  Notwithstanding  this,  Domitian  took  to  himself  the  honors  of  a 
triumph,  and  returned  to  Rome  in  pompous  array,  carrying  with  him 
a  number  of  slaves  dressed  like  Germans,  whom  he  displayed  to  the 
wondering  crowd  of  the  capital,  as  the  prisoners  taken  by  his  victori- 
ous arms. 

9.  In  this  condition  of  the  empire,  the  Sarmatians,  aided  by  several 
Asiatic  tribes,  made  a  formidable  irruption  into  the  Roman  territories, 
and  cut  off  one  of  the  legions  with  its  general.  The  Dacians,  under 
the  guidance  of  their  king,  Decebalus,  were  even  more  successful, 
and  defeated  the  Romans  in  several  battles. 

10.  The  energies  of  the  state  were  at  length  roused,  and  the  bar- 
barians drivFu  back  to  their  forests  and  deserts.  Domitian,  elated 
with  this  result,  again  made  a  triumphal  entry  into  Rome,  and 
assumed  the  name  of  Germanicns,  pretending  to  be  the  conqueror  of  a 
people  whom  he  never  met  in  the  field. 

11.  Satiated  at  length  with  this  cheap  sort  of  military  renown,  he 
began  to  practise  cruelty  for  his  amusement.  He  persecuted  the 
Jews  and  (Jliristians  with  unrelenting  severity ;  and  hia  avari<;e  led 
niin  to  seize  the  estate  of  every  person  against  whom  he  could  fabri- 
cate the  most  trivial  charge. 

12.  A  conspiracy  was  soon  formc^d  against  him  by  his  wife  Donii 
•ia,  whom  he  had  designed  to  put  to  death.     He  was  assassinated. 


was  his  conduct  afterwards  "*■    4.  What  anecdote  is  related  of  him  ?    5.  What  was  don« 
bv  Airricola?     How  was  he   .realed  by  Domitian?     7.  What  of  the  Gallic  exj)editioii  of 
n.»niitiaii  ?    8.  Of  his  triumph?    9.  Of  the  Sarmatians  and  Daciaiij^?     10,  Of  Domi- 
kiaii's  second  tr'umph?     11.  Of  his  persecutions?     12.   What  was  the  end  of  Dom' 
.ian  7 


14 


> 


ii}  u 


UKIGN  OF  NKUVA. 


alver  considorablo  resistance,  by  Sttphanus,  the  comptroller   of  h»« 
household,  who  was  himself  slain  on  the  spot,  hy  some  of  the  otP 
cers  of  the  jruard.     Domitian  was  the  last  of  the  Caesars,  leavinjr  no 
hfir  to  the  throne 


CHAPTER   CLII. 

Reign  of  Nerva, 

1.  The  senate,  dreading  the  influence  of  the  army,  appointea 
Cucceius  Nerva  the  successor  of  Domitian,  on  the  day  of  his  assassi- 
nation, A.  D.  97.  This  emperor  was  born  in  Spain,  of  an  illustrious 
Roman  family ;  I  e  w^as  sixty-five  years  old  when  he  was  called  to 
govern  the  empire. 

2.  HaviufT  been  chosen  by  the  senate  solely  from  their  experience 
of  his  talenfs  and  virtues,  no  doubt  was  entertained  that  he  would  do 
honor  to  the  imperial  purple.  The  horrors  of  the  preceding  reign 
induced  Nerva  to  rule  with  an  opposite  excess  of  clemency  and  indul- 
gence. 

3.  When  he  accepted  his  dignity,  he  took  an  oath  that  no  Roman 
senator  should  be  put  to  death  during  his  reign.  He  was  liberal  in 
his  gifts  to  his  friends,  and  he  sold  all  his  gold  and  silver  plate  to 
enable  him  to  continue  his  generosities.  He  abolished  the  oppressive 
taxes  which  had  been  imposed  by  his  piedecessors,  and  restored  the 
property  seized  by  Domitian. 

4.  Besides  making  many  good  laws,  he  united,  more  than  any 
other  sovereign,  a  system  of  retrenchment  and  economy  with  well- 
judged  acts  of  liberality.  He  allowed  no  statues  to  be  erected  to 
himself,  sold  all  those  which  had  been  raised  to  Domitian,  and  con- 
verted into  money  the  gaudy  robes  and  luxurious  furniture  of  the 

palace. 

5.  Notwithstanding  the  benevolence  and  mildness  which  charac- 
terized the  administration  of  Nerva,  he  soon  began  to  experience  that 
malignity  which  vice  never  fails  to  display  against  virtue.  A  con- 
spiracy was  formed  for  his  assassination  ;  this  was  happily  detected, 
and  the  senate  were  desirous  to  deal  rigorously  with  the  authors,  but 
Nerva  contented  himself  by  punishing  them  with  exile. 

G.  This  act  of  clemency' encouraged  another  plot,  among  the  prtKto- 
fian  bands,  who  pretended  a  wish  to  revenge  the  death  of  Domitian. 
Nerva  used  all  the  gentle  means  in  his  power  to  quell  this  mutiny.  Hi* 
even  presented  himself  to  the  insurgents,  bared  his  breast,  and  desired 
them  to  take  his  life  rather  than  involve  their  country  in  ^  esh  calam- 
ities. 

7.  But  this  act  of  self-devotion  failed  to  subdue  the  ferocity  of  the 
mutineers.  They  kill  -d  two  of  the  emperor's  attendants  before  hia 
face,  and  compelled  him  to  approve  of  their  sedition.  Fortunately, 
their  insolence  v«ent  no  further,  and  this  insurreciion  ultimately  turned 
out  most  favorably  for  the  empire. 


f^  11, —  I.  Whoa-cr.eeiled  Poinilian  ?    2,3.  What  was  t»,«  character  of  Nerva  1    4 
Hi? -ulminidlration  ?    Ti.  What  of  a  conspiracy  }    6,  7.  What  was  the  corwequeiice  n. 


REIGN  OF  TRAJAN. 


211 


8.  Nerva  saw  the  necessity  of  providing  a  colleague,  who  might 
atford  liim  assistance  and  counsel  in  the  government  of  the  empire 
Having  no  private  objects  in  view,  he  set  aside  all  his  own  relations 
«nd  fixed  his  choice  upon  Trajan,  who  then  held  an  ofiice  in  Ger 
«any. 

y.  Before  the  latter  could  reach  the  city,  Nerva  died  of  a  fever, 
vhich  was  said  to  have  been  brought  on  by  a  violent  passio:>,  in  ^ 
(ispute  with  one  of  the  senators,  A.  D.  98. 


CHAPTER   CLHI 


Reign  of  Trajan, 


Trajan 

1.  TuAJAN  was  uorn  at  Seville,  in  Spain,  though  of  an  Italian 
femily.  His  father  had  been  rais(3d  to  the  rank  of  a  patrician,  by 
Vespasian,  and  after  various  successful  expeditions  on  the  Euphrates 
and  the  Rhine,  in  which  his  son  accompanied  him,  he  had  been  hon- 
ored with  the  consulship  and  a  triumph. 


his  clemency?    8.  Whom  did  Nerva  associate  with  him  in  the  empire?    9    How  dk* 
Nerva  die? 


212 


RKIGN  OF  TRAJAN. 


2  In  this  way,  Trajan  acquired,  in  early  life,  a  considerable  repu- 
tation in  arms.  When  the  command  of  the  a;my  in  Lower  German v 
was  confided  to  him,  he  lived  in  the  most  unassuminj^  and  simple 
style.  He  performed  lonjr  marches  on  foot  with  his  troops,  and 
shared  with  them  all  the  dano-ers  and  fatigues  of  war. 

3.  He  knew  all  the  old  soldiers  by  their  names,  and  conversed  with 
them  in  the  most  familiar  manner.  Before  he  retired  to  rest,  he 
inspected  the  camp  i)ers()nally,  and  satisfied  himself  of  the  vigilance 
of  the  sentinels,  and  the  security  of  the  army. 

4.  To  these  qualities  of  a  soldier,  Trajan  added  the  most  amiable 
modesty  and  mihhiess  of  disposition,  and  he  united  in  his  character 
all  those  moral  and  intellectual  quuUfications,  and  all  that  experience 
in  war  and  personal  bravery,  which  seem  rather  to  belong  to  many 
indivi(hials  than  to  be  combined  in  one. 

5.  His  personal  appearance  corresponded  with  his  noble  mind  ;  and 
wlian  he  entered  Home  in  the  vigor  of  manliood,  lie  inspired  his  sul>- 
jects  with  a  respect  and  admiration  which  they  never  afterwards 
ceased  to  attach  to  his  name. 

6.  Trajan  had  no  sooner  ascended  the  throne  than  he  was  called 
upon  to  check  the  insolence  of  the  Dacians,  who  had  ravaged  the 
empire  during  the  reign  of  Uomitian,  and  now  claimed  from  the 
Roman  people  a  tribute,  which  the  cowardice  of  that  emperor  had 
induced  him  to  ofTer. 

7.  At  the  head  of  a  powerful  army,  Trajan  marched  towards 
Dacia,  and  overawed  the  barbarians  by  his  sudden  appearance  upon 
their  frontier.  A  treaty  was  made  with  them,  but  s})eedily  broken 
by  their  king,  Decebalus.  Trajan  threw  a  bridge  across  the  Danul)e, 
LMUered  Dacia,  and  brought  Inm  to  a  general  action.  "^I'he  Dacians 
were  completely  routed,  and  their  king,  in  d(^sj)air,  killed  himself. 

8.  In  this  battle,  whicii  reduced  Dacia  to  a  Roman  province,  the 
slaughter  was  so  great  that  all  the  linen  in  the  Roman  camp  was  n(»t 
sufficient  to  dress  the  wounds  of  the  soldiers.     On   the  return   of 

Trajm  to  Rome,  a  splendid  triumph  was  celebrated,  and  the  rejoicings 
continued  a  hundred  and  twenty  days. 

9.  The  duties  of  peace  now  demanded  tlie  attention  of  Trajan  ;  hn 
(established  many  public  works ;  he  settled  C()h)nit?s  in  remote  parts 
of  the  empire ;  he  opened  communications  between  different  i)rov- 
inces,  and  be  laid  up  stores  of  corn  and  provisions  to  secure  the  capi- 
tal from  famine. 

iO.  To  commemorate  his  victories,  he  employed  the  architect 
Apollodorus  to  eiect  a  magnificent  column  in  Rome,  covered  with 
sculptures,  representing  the  events  of  the  Dacian  war  ;  this  structure 
still  remains,  and  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  objects  of  the  city. 

11.  During  the  reign  of  Trajan,  the  Christians  began  to  attract 
notice  in  Bithynia.  As  their  doctrines  were  little  known,  it  is  proba- 
ble that  they  were  misrepresented.  Trajans  regard  for  the  estab- 
lished religion  of  Rome  caused  him  to  enforce  the  laws  which  bad 


CLIII.  —  1.2.  What  is  said  of  Ihe  early  life  of  Trajm  ?    3,  4.  f*.  What  of  his  charac 
ler?    6,7,8.  Describe  his  campai<»n  aijainsi  the  Dacians.     9.  Whai  of  Trajati's  ailinin 
islra-iop  "n  peace?     10.  Of  his  iriuniphal  column?     11.  Of  lis  behavior  iow*ril  ihe 
CVriaiiJUi* » 


EASrblliN   CAMPAIGNS  OF  TRAJAN. 


9 1 'J 


been  enacted  against  those  who  dissented  from  it.  On  this  account, 
the  mild  and  beneficent  Trajan  is  numbered  among  the  persecutors  of 
Christianiiv. 


CHAPTER   CLIV. 

Eastern  Campaigns  of  Trajan. 

1.  The  Armenians  and  Parthians  having  about  this  time  ihrowTi 
off  the  Roman  yoke,  Trajan  marched  into  Armenia,  subdued  the 
country,  and  made  the  king  prisoner.  He  then  entered  the  Parthian 
territories,  where  he  obtained  the  most  signal  success.  After  con- 
quering  Syria  and    Chaldea,   he  made    his   triumphal    entry   into 

iiabylon. 

2.  The  Parthians  made  a  stand  on  the  Euphrates,  but  Trajan,  hav- 
ing caused  a  large  number  of  boats  or  rafts  to  be  constructed  among  the 
mountains  during  a  single  night,  brought  them  suddenly  to  the  river, 
and  transported  his  army  across  the  stream  in  the  face  of  the  enemy. 

3.  Quitting  the  Euphrates,  he  traversed  countries  which  had  never 
before  been  trodden  by  the  foot  of  a  Roman  soldier ;  and  he  seems  to 
have  taken  a  peculiar  delight  in  following  that  line  of  march  which 
Alexander  had  pursued  before  him.  He  crossed  the  rapid  stream  of 
Tigris,  and  took  the  city  of  Ctesiphon. 

4.  After  subjugating'the  districts  of  Persia  bordering  on  that  river, 
he  marched  south  towards  the  Persian  Gulf.  The  inclemency  of  the 
weather,  and  the  inundations  of  the  river,  nearly  destroyed  his  whole 
army,  and  Trajan,  sufFering  from  the  infirmities  of  age,  was  com- 
pelled to  return. 

5.  Persia  had  revolted  during  his  absence,  but  he  restored  the 
Roman  supremacy,  and  placed  a  king  of  his  own  choosing  on  the 
ihroue  of  that  country.  Having  met  with  a  repulse  before  the  city 
of  Atra,  in  Arabia,  Trajan  concluded  thai  the  time  had  now  arrived 
for  limiting  liis  conquests  and  placing  them  under  proper  government. 

6.  He  e'stablished  a  king  over  Albania,  near  the  Caspian  Sea,  and 
placed  governors  and  lieutenants  in  the  other  provinces.  He  now  set 
his  face  towards  Rome,  leaving  his  forces  in  the  east,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Adrian.  The  most  magnificent  preparations  were  made  for 
the  reception  of  the  emperor  m  his  capital,  but  Trajan  was  destined 
never  again  to  behold  that  city. 

7.  Exhausted  with  the  fatigues  of  war,  he  was  taken  ill  in  Cilicia, 
and  finding  liimself  unable  to  travel  any  further,  he  was  carried  to  the 
city  of  Selinus,  where  he  died,  A.  D.  117,  in  the  sixty-fourth  year 
of  his  age,  and  the  twentieth  of  his  reign.  His  ashes  were  carried  to 
Rome,  and  deposited  at  the  foot  of  the  column  which  bears  his  name. 


CLIV.  —  I-^.  What  campaigns  did  Trajan  undertake  in  the  east,  and  with  what  sue 
?    5,  6.  WhU  of  Persia,  Arabia,  and  Albania?    7.  Where  did  Trajan  lie? 


214 


ADRIAiN 


CHAPTER  CLV. 
Adrian — Antoniims  Pins. 

1.  Trajan  was  succeeded  in  the  empire  by  Adrian,  who,  hke  his 
predecessor,  was  a  native  of  Seville,  but  of  a  Spanish  fiimily.  He 
was  quite  satisfied  with  preservino^  the  ancient  limits  of  the  empire, 
and  seemed  no  way  ambitious  of  makinp^  conquests.  For  this  reason, 
ho  abandoned  all  the  acquisitions  which  had  been  made  by  Trajan, 
judging  them  rather  a  detriment  than  an  advantage  to  the  empire. 

2.  Adrian  was  the  first  Roman  emperor  that  made  a  regular  tour 
through  the  provinces.  He  spent  many  years  in  travelling  over  Gaul, 
Germany,  Britain,  Spain,  Greece,  and  all  the  countries  of  Africa  and 
Asia  that  were  under  his  dominion.  There  was  scarcely  any  part  of 
his  vast  empire  that  he  did  not  embellish  with  noble  buildings  and 
other  great  works  of  art. 

3.  In  Britain  he  greatly  improved  the  city  of  York,  which  was 
then  the  capital  of  the  island,  and  the  residence  of  the  Romar 
governor.  For  the  better  security  of  this  province,  he  built  a  wall 
of  wood  and  earth,  extending  from  the  river  Eden,  in  Cumberland,  to 
the  Tyne,  in  Northumberland.  This  served  as  a  barrier  against  tho 
incursions  of  the  Picts,  and  other  barbarous  tribes  of  North  Britain. 


Incursions  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  into  Britain. 

4.  On  his  return  to  Rome,  the  senate  decreed   him  a  triumph, 
which  he  had  the  modesty  to  decline.     The  virtues  of  Adrian,  how- 


CLV.  —  1.  Who  succeeded  Trajan  ?    What  was  the  policy  of  Adrian  ?    2.  Of  his  louf 
through  the  provinces?    3.  Of  York,  and  Adrian's  wall?    4.  Of  his  persecution* t 


KEIGN  OF  MARCUS  AURELIUS 


2]e'i 


evei,  were  no<  unalloyed  ;  he  was  a  cruel  persecutor  both  of  the  Jews 
and  the  Christians  ;  he  allowed  himself  to  be  influenced  by  unworihj 
favorites,  and  gave  his  ear  to  slanderers  and  informers. 

5.  During  liis  reign  the  Jews  again  rebelled,  and  were  subdu(;( 
with  dreadful  slaughter.  Adrian  died  of  a  lingering  disease,  ai  Bai;R 
«W!ar  Naples,  A.  D.  131i. 

6.  lie  was  succeeded  by  Titus  Antoninus,  whom  he  had  adopted 
d  iring  his  lifetime.     This  emperor  divided  the  cares  of  goverinnen 
v\  ith  Marcus  Aurelius,  his  son-in-law.     His  mild  and  merciful  reign 
procured  for  him  the  surname  of  Pius,  and  was  undoubtedly  the  most 
lran(pnl  and  happy  which  the  Roman  empire  ever  enjoyed. 

?.  He  suspended  the  persecutions  against  the  Christians,  and 
ordered  their  accusers  to  be  punished  as  calumniators.  Peace  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  wide  dominions  of  Rome  ;  the  virtues  of  the 
sovereign  conciliated  the  good- will  of  foreign  nations,  and  he  was 
chosen  as  the  arbitrator  of  their  differences. 

8.  For  the  first  lime,  the  government  of  the  provinces  engaged  the 
earnest  attention  of  the  sovereign,  and  the  lieutenants  of  the  emperor, 
perceiving  that  their  conduct  was  closely  watched,  ceased  to  oppress 
those  intrusted  to  their  charge. 

9.  The  provincial  inhabitants  now,  instead  of  seeing  their  revenues 
wasted  to  maintain  a  profligate  court,  or  pamper  a  degraded  populace, 
were  gratified  with  the  sight  of  public  schools  erected  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  youth,  of  harbors  cleaned  out  and  repaired,  of  new  marts  of 
trade  opened,  &c. 

10.  After  a  beneficent  and  tranquil  reign  of  twenty-two  years,  the 
prosperity  of  which  is  best  proved  by  its  affording  no  materials  for 
history,  Antoninus  Pius  died  of  a  fever  at  one  of  his  villas,  bequeath- 
ing nothing  but  his  own  private  fortune  to  his  family. 

1 1 .  The  Romans  venerated  so  highly  the  memory  of  this  excellent 
monarch,  that  during  the  greater  part  of  the  ensuing  century  every 
sovereign  deemed  it  essential  to  his  popularity  to  assume  the  surname 
of  Antoninus. 


CHAPTER   CLVI. 
Reign  of  Marcus  Aurelius. 

1.  Marcus  Aurelius,  surnamed  the  Philosopher,  on  account  of 
his  attachment  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Stoics,  succeeded  to  the  empire 
A..  D.  163  ;  but  his  power  was  shared  by  Lucius  Verus,  to  whom  he 
gave  his  daughter  in  marriage.  He  took,  however,  an  early  oppor- 
tunity of  sending  his  unworthy  colleague  from  Rome  with  the  com- 
mand of  an  army  against  the  Parthians. 

2.  Verus  established  his  residence  at  Antioch,  where  he  abandoned 


5    What  of  the  Jews  ?    6.  Who  succeeded  Adrian  ?    Who  was  the  associate  of  Anlor.lnu': ) 
7,  8,  9.  What  was  the  adminidiralion  of  Antoninus?     10,  11,  What  of  his  death? 
CLVI.  —  1.  Who  succeeded  Antoninus  ?    What  of  his  colleague?    2.  What  was  th# 


216 


KEIGN  OF  MARCUS  AURELIUS. 


himself  to  every  species  of  debauchery,  while  his  lieutenants  con- 
quered some  of  the  Parthian  cities.  Rome,  in  the  mean  time,  enjoyed 
tranquillity  and  happiness  under  the  firm  but  merciful  administration 
of  Aurelius. 


Marcus  Anrelitts. 

J.  But  this  prosperity  was  interrupted  by  the  return  of  VcruB, 
who  claimed  a  triumph  for  the  victories  g^ained  by  his  officers.  The 
eastern  army  brought  the  plague  with  it  from  Asia,  and  the  infection 
was  communicated  to  every  province  through  which  the  legions 
passed.  The  violence  of  the  pestile.ice  did  not  abate  for  several 
years. 

4.  A  dangerous  war  next  broke  out  on  the  German  frontiers,  with 
the  Marcomanni.  Both  emperors  took  the  field,  but  in  the  opening 
of  the  campaijrn  Verus  died,  the  victim  of  his  intemperate  habits. 

5.  In  the  first  engagement  with  the  barbarians,  the  Romans  were 
routed  with  g-reat  slaughter,  and  the  emperor  was  obliged  to  sell  the 
plate  and  furniture  of  his  palace,  and  the  imperial  jewels,  to  raise  a 
sufficient  sum  to  repair  the  loss.  In  his  subsequent  campaig-ns, 
Aurelius  ventured  across  the  Danube,  into  the  territory  of  the  Quadi. 

6.  This  temerity  had  nearly  proved   his  ruin.     The  barbarians 


.onduct  of  Verus  ?     3.  Wh;it  of  the  plague  ?    4.  Whut  war  iiexl  broke  out  ?     5.   VVhav 
ii«<uiter  hbippened  to  the  Romans?    6.  What  accident  relieved  them  iit  a  dan^eruui 


I 


REIGN    OF    COMMODUS. 


217 


craftily  pretending  a  flight,  drew  the  Romans  into  a  barren  defile, 
where  they  were  on  the  point  of  perishing  by  thirst.  In  this  distress 
they  were  relieved  by  a  thunder-storm ;  the  rain  relieved  their  wants, 
and  the  lightning  struck  the  tents  of  their  enemies. 

7.  The  barbarians,  believing  this  occurrence  miraculous,  immedi- 
ately submitted.  Tliis  was  the  origin  of  the  story  of  the  "Tiiunder- 
ing  Legion,"  one  of  the  many  monkish  fictions  of  the  age  that  fol- 
lowed, in  which  it  was  pretended  that  the  shower  was  sent  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  the  Christian  soldiers  in  the  Roman  army. 

8.  Aurelius  died  of  a  fever,  at  Vienna,  A.  D.  180.  The  glory  of 
the  empire  may  be  said  to  have  expired  with  him.  He  was  the  last 
emperor  who  made  the  good  of  his  subjects  the  chief  object  of  his 
government,  and  he  was  one  of  the  few  princes  who  attsrined  a 
respectable  rank  in  literature.  His  "Meditations,"  which  have  come 
down  to  our  time,  contain  a  summary  of  the  best  rules  for  a  virtuou? 
life  that  have  ever  been  devised  by  unassisted  reason  or  simple  phi- 
loHophy. 


CHAPTER  CLVII. 

Reign  of  Commodus, 


Commodus  in  a  Lioji's  Skin. 

1  Marcus  Aurelius  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Commodus,  a 
persv-n  of  a  weak  and  timid  <lisposition  by  nature,  and  whose  mind 
was  corrupted   by  the  vices  of  his  attendants.     As  he  advanced  in 

emergency?    7.  What  is  the  story  of  the  Thundering  Legion  ?    8.  What  is  said  of  th« 
death  of  Aurelius  ?     His  Meditations? 

19 


i— ''*-*-'^1l  iw  1  iiniihirtti»iilHi»AiiiiM 


218 


DEATH  OF   COMMODUS. 


life,  his  behavior  only  changed  for  the  worse ;  but  the  description  of 
all  his  vices  and  cruelties  would  only  disgust  the  reader. 

2.  He  is  said,  on  one  occasion,  to  have  cut  a  fat  man  in  two,  when 
walking  in  the  street,  in  order  to  amuse  himself  by  seeing  his  entrails 
fall  on  the  ground.  He  possessed  great  skill  in  archery,  and  per- 
formed many  wonderful  exploits  with  the  bow. 

3.  His  strength  was  enormous,  and  from  this  cause  he  was  ambi- 
tious of  being  called  Hercules.  Hence  he  adorned  his  shoulders  with 
a  lion's  skin,  and  carried  in  his  hand  a  knotted  club.  He  ran  an 
elephant  through  with  his  spear,  and  killed  a  hundred  lions,  one  after 
another,  each  by  a  single  blow. 

4.  He  fought  with  the  common  gladiators  in  the  ampliitheatre,  and 
came  off  conqueror  seven  hundred  and  thirty  times ;  in  consequence 
of  this,  he  used  to  subscribe  himself  the  "conqueror  of  a  thousand 
gladiators."  When  the  senate,  at  his  request,  granted  him  divine 
honors,  he  strewed  on  his  head  such  a  quantity  of  gold  dust,  that  it 
glittered  in  the  sunbeams  as  if  encircled  with  a  glory. 

5.  The  military  events  of  the  reign  of  Commodus  were  a  disgrace 
to  the  Roman  name.  After  the  death  of  his  father,  he  concluded  a 
peace  with  the  Marcomanni  and  Quadi  on  very  unfavorable  terms, 
iibandoning  all  the  castles  and  fortresses  which  the  Romans  held  in 
their  country,  except  those  within  five  miles  of  the  Danube.  Treaties 
equally  dij^^creditable  to  Rome  were  made  with  the  other  German 
tribes  whom  his  father  had  subjugated ;  in  some  cases  he  purchased 
peace  with  large  sums  of  money. 

6.  A  conspiracy  was  at  length  formed  against  the  life  of  Com- 
modus by  his  sister  Lucilla,  who  was  aided  by  many  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished senators.  The  emperor  was  attacked  in  a  dark  passage, 
on  his  way  to  the  amphitheatre;  but  the  person  who  aimed  the  dagger 
at  him,  instead  of  striking  him  at  once  to  the  heart,  raised  the  weapon 
and  exclaimed,  "  The  senate  sends  you  this."* 

7.  This  delay  gave  the  guards  time  to  rescue  their  master.  The 
conspirators  were  seized  and  put  to  death.  Lucilla  was  exiled  to 
Capreae,  where  she  soon  after  met  with  the  same  fate. 


CHAPTER  CLVIIl. 

Death  of  Commodus. 


■1 


1.  Not  long  after  this,  the  empire  was  disturbed  by  a  singulai 
revolt.  A  common  soldier,  named  Maternus,  with  several  others 
who  had  deserted  from  their  legions,  formed  a  party,  winch  was 
gradually  increased  by  the  banditti  from  different  provinces.  Tliey 
ravaged  Spain  and  Gaul,  and  took  by  storm  several  strong  cities. 

2.  An  army  under  Pescennius  Niger  was  sent  against  them,  but 


CLVII. — ^1.  Who  Pucceeded  Aureliuo?  2.  What  of  the  cruelties  of  Conrimoduaf  Z. 
Of  his  strength?  4.  Ilia  extravagant  behavior?  5.  His  wars?  6,7  What  of  th« 
eonspiracy  against  him  1 


COMMERCE  OF  THE  ROMANS. 


2\^ 


Matemus,  findintr  himself  unable  to  cope  with  a  disciplined  host 
divided  his  followers  into  email  bands,  and  marched  them  secretly  to 
Rome  by  different  routes.     His  object  was  to  murder  the  emperor  ai 
an  annual  festival,  and  to  seize  upon  the  supreme  authority. 

3.  All  the  diffijrent  bands  arrived  undiscovered  in  the  capital,  and 
some  of  tiiem  had  already  insinuated  themselves  among  the  iruards  ol 
the  palace.  Hut  the  plot  was  revealed  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  the 
conspirators,  and  Maternus  was  seized  and  executed. 

4.  A  plague  next  broke  out  in  Rome,  and  continued  two  years, 
carrying  off,  at  times,  two  thousand  persons  in  a  day.  The  city  was 
also  set  on  fire  by  lijcrhtning,  and  a  considerable  part  of  it  buint. 
This  calamity  was  followed  by  a  famine,  which  was  believed  by  some 
to  have  been  caused  by  Oleander,  the  emperor's  prime  minister,  who 
bought  up  the  corn  on  speculation. 

5.  The  mob  flocked  to  the  palace,  and  demanded  his  head. 
Oleander  ordered  the  Praetorian  Guards  to  attack  the  crowd,  many  of 
whom  they  slaughtered  ;  but  the  city  guards,  taking  the  popular  side, 
the  Praetorians  were  put  to  flight.  Commodus,  hearing  of  the  uproar^ 
ordered  the  hjad  of  Oleander  to  be  thrown  to  the  populace,  which 
quieted  the  rebellion.  The  government  of  Rome  at  this  period 
seems  to  have  been  not  unlike  that  of  the  Turkish  empire  in  modern 
times. 

6.  A  conspiracy  was  now  planned  in  the  emperor's  household,  to 
take  his  life  by  poison,  which  was  administered  to  him  by  one  of  his 
female  favorites.  But  as  the  poison  did  not  take  effect  speedily,  a 
public  wrestler  of  uncommon  strength  was  employed  to  finish  the 
work,  and  Commodus  was  strangled,  A.  D.  192.  On  the  news  of  his 
death,  the  senate  declared  him  an  enemy  to  the  public,  ordered  his 
Dody  to  be  cast  into  the  Tiber,  and  his  statues  to  be  demolished. 


chapter\clix.\ 

Commei'ce  of  the  Romans  ivith  the  East, 

1 .  If  the  reign  of  Augustus  be  justly  celebrated  for  the  perfection 
of  Roman  literature,  those  of  the  Antonines,  including  even  that  of 
the  wicked  Commodus,  deserve  to  be  honored  for  the  great  improve- 
ments made  in  trade  and  commerce,  especially  by  the  0|>ening  of  new 
communications  with  India. 

2.  Tadmor,  or  Palmyra,  the  wondrous  city  of  the  desert,  distant 
only  eighty-five  miles  from  the  Euphrates,  and  about  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  fron>  the  nearest  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  was  the 
centre  of  the  trade  between  Europe  and  southern  Persia,  including 
the  countries  bordering  on  the  Indus,  and  the  districts  now  attached 
to  the  Bombay  presidency. 

CLVIIl.  —  1 .  What  of  Malermis  ?    2,  3.  What  was  the  result  of  his  undertaking  ?     1 
IVhat  calamities  followed  ?    5.   What  of  Oleander?    6.  How  did  Commodus  die  ? 
CLIX.  -  1.  What  of  the  age  of  the  Antonines  in  respect  to  commerce?    2   (M 


220 


COMMERCE  OF  THE  ROMANS. 


IX)MMERCE  OF  THE  ROMANS. 


221 


3.  In  consequence  of  the  great  exports  that  this  trade  naturalh 
caused  from  the  harbors  of  the  Levant,  considerable  numbers  ot  ^yriar 
merchants  settled  in  Rome,  some  of  whom  attained  the  highest  honors 
of  the  «nite  It  appears  that  some  merchants  used  a  more  northern 
route  bV  the  Caspian  and  Oxus ;  for  we  find  the  Roman  geographers 
tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  countries  that  now  form  the  king- 
doms of  Khiva  and  Bokhara.  ,    .     ,  a     . 

4  Tlie  areat  caravan  route  across  Asia,  however,  commenced  at 
Bvzantium%ow  Constantinople,  which  was  long  the  seat  of  flourish- 
inrr  commerce  before  it  became  the  metropolis  of  an  empire.  Hav- 
ing passed  the  Bosphorus,  the  merchant  adventurers  proceeded 
throuffh  Anatolia,  and  crossed  the  Euphrates  ;  thence  they  proceeded 
to  Ecbatana,  the  ancient  capital  of  the  Medes,  and  Hecatompylos, 
the  metropolis  of  the  Parthians.  Thence  circuitously  to  Hyrcania 
and  Aria.     Finally,  they  came  to  Bactra,  long  the  principal  mart  ot 

central  Asia.  ,  -,    ,. 

5  From  Bactra  there  were  two  caravan  routes,  one  to  nortli  maia, 
over  the  western  part  of  the  Himalaya,  called  the  Indian  Caucasus, 
the  other  toward  the  frontiers  of  Serica,  over  the  lofty  mountain-chain 
of  Imaus,  through  a  winding  ravine  which  was  marked  by  a  cele- 
brated station  called  the  Stone  Tower,  whose  ruins  are  said  still  to 
exist,  under  the  name  of  Chihel  Sutun,  or  the  Forty  Columns.  Little 
was  known  of  the  countries  between  the  Imaus  and  berica,  which 
were  probably  traversed  by  Bactrian,  rather  than  European  mer- 
chants  ;    but  the   road   was   described   as  wondertully  difficult  and 

tedious.  ,.  , ,         t.  ^  .  ^ 

6  As  the  protrress  of  the  caravans  was  liable  to  frequent  interrup- 
tions from  the  Parthians,  and  the  conveyance  of  manufactured  silks 
through  the  deserts  was  very  toilsome,  the  emperor  Antoninus 
attempted  to  open  a  communication  with  the  Chinese  by  sea  Ol  this 
singular  transaction,  no  record  has  yet  been  found  m  any  of  the  Greek 

or  Latin  authors.  ^       .   .  j    •  ^ij 

7  M    de  Guif^nes,   however,  has  found  it  stated,  in  a  very  old 

Chinese  historicaT  work,  that  an  embassy  had  come  by  sea  from 
Antun,  the  king  of  the  people  of  the  western  ocean,  to  Yanti  or 
rather  Hanhuanti.  who  ruled  over  China  in  the  hundred  arid  sixty- 
sixth  year  of  the  Christian  era.  The  name  and  date  sufficiently 
identify  Antun  with  Antoninus,  and  the  projected  intercourse  was 
well  w'orthy  the  attention  of  that  enlightened  emperor ;  but  nothing 
is  known  respecting  the  results  of  this  embassy. 


Paimvra?     3.  The  Syrian  merchanis?     4.  How  did  the  caravan  for  Asia 
5    What  of  India  and  Ch^^^^      6.  The  Parthians  ?    7.  The  expcdiUor.  of  the 
Chifvi  7 


proceci 
K'luiaiis 


1? 


CHAPTER 


^LX] 


Commerce  of  the  Ro?nans  with  the  Soicth  and  North, 

1.  The  navigation  to  India  was  long  confined  to  circuilous  voyages 
P)und  the  peninsula  of  Arabia  and  the  coasts  of  the  Persian  Gulf;  but 
about  a  century  after  the  establishment  of  the  Roman  dominion,  Har- 
palus,  the  commander  of  a  ship  long  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade, 
obserring  the  regular  changes  of  the  periodical  winds,  ventured  to 
steer  from  the  straits  of  Bab-el-Mandel  across  the  Erythraean  Sea, 
(Indian  Ocean,)  and  was  wafted  by  the  western  monsoon  to  the  Mal- 
abar coast.  This  great  improvement  was  deservedly  regarded  as  of 
the  highest  importance  ;  and  the  western  monsoon  received  the  name 
of  Harpalus,  in  memory  of  the  courageous  navigator  who  had  turned 
it  to  such  a  good  account. 

2.  The  route  of  the  Egyptian  trade  under  the  Romans  has  been 
described  with  considerable  accuracy  by  Pliny.  Cargoes  destined  foi 
India  were  carried  up  the  Nile  in  boats  to  (Joptos,  thence  they  were 
transferred  by  caravans  to  Myos  Hormus,  or  Berenice.  The  latter 
though  the  longer,  was  the  more  frequented  road,  because  the  Ptole- 
mies had  prepared  excellent  stations  and  watering-places  at  convenient 
distances  along  the  road. 

3.  From  Berenice  the  fleet  sailed,  in  June  or  July,  for  Ocelis,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Arabian  Gulf,  and  Cane,  a  promontory  and  emporium 
on  the  south-east  coast  of  Arabia  Felix.  Thence  they  steered  across 
the  ocean  for  the  Malabar  coast,  and  usually  made  the  passage  in 
forty  days.  They  began  their  voyage  homeward  early  in  December, 
and  generally  encountered  more  difliculty  on  their  return,  on  account 
of  the  unsteadiness  of  the  winds. 

4.  The  chief  imports  from  India  were  spices,  precious  stones,  and 
muslins.  There  is  a  singular  confusion  in  the  Latin  authors  between 
the  finer  cotton  goods  and  manufactured  silks,  which  has  led  to  their 
mixing  up  the  Chinese  and  Indian  trade  together.  The  principal 
exports  were  light  woollens,  chequered  linens,  glass,  wine,  and 
bullion. 

5.  Commodus,  with  a  wisdom  which  could  scarcely  have  been 
expected  from  him,  made  some  eflforts  to  open  the  old  Carthaginian 
trade  with  the  interior  of  Africa  ;  but  the  result  of  his  labors  is 
unknown.  He  also  paid  some  attention  to  the  corn-trade,  so  essen- 
tial to  the  prosperity  of  his  central  dominions,  when  Italy  had  long 
ceased  to  produce  sufficient  grain  for  the  support  of  its  inhabitants  ; 
and  he  established  a  company  to  procure  corn  from  northern  Africi 
whenever  the  crops  failed  in  Egypt. 

6.  The  trade  of  the  Black  Sea,  so  flourishing  in  the  age  of  tine 

CLX.  —  1.  How  was  the  early  navigation  to  India  ?     Who  discovered  the  monsoons" 
2,  3.  What  was  ilie  route  of  the  Eiryptian  trade  to  the  Malabar  coast?    4.  What  wer« 
Ihe  imports  and  exi)ort8?    5.  Of  trade  under  Commodus  ?    6.  Of  the  Black  *»ea'    "* 
The  amber  trade ?    8.  Fur  and  tin  trade? 

19* 


222 


REIGN  OF  PERTINAX. 


Greek  repub.i.s,  appears  to  have  been  greatly  diminished  after  tlif 
Romans  became  masters  of  the  countries  on  both  sides  of  the  -^gean  : 
and  it  seems  probable  that  little  or  no  commerce  passed  through  the 
Straits  of  Gibraltar  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

7.  In  consequence  of  this  change,  the  amber  trade  was  transferred 
from  the  coasts  of  the  northern  sea  to  tlie  banks  of  the  Danube,  and  tbe 
barbarous  tribes  who  brought  it  from  the  shores  of  the  Baltic  are  said 
to  have  been  astonished  at  the  prices  they  received  for  what  seemed 
to  them  so  useless  a  commodity. 

8.  Furs  were  purchased  from  the  Scythian  tribes  ;  but  this  brancii 
of  trade  appears  never  to  have  been  of  any  great  amount.  The 
Biitish  tin  trade  was  rather  neglected  by  the  Romans;  indeed,  it 
appears  to  iiave  been  monopolized  by  the  Gauls,  and  consequent! v 
was  confined  to  the  British  Channel.  From  this  slight  sli^tch,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  Romans  were  not  naturally  a  mercantile  people. 


CHAPTER   CLXI. 

Reign  of  Fertinax. 

1.  Pertinax  was  placed  on  the  vacant  throne.  He  was  a  person 
i7ho  had  passed  through  so  many  adventures  as  to  gain  the  appella- 
tion of  ''  Fortune's  tennis-ball."  Descended  from  an  obscure  family, 
either  a  slave  or  the  son  of  a  slave,  he  followed  for  some  time  the 
trade  of  a  charcoal-burner.  He  then  became  a  petty  shopkeeper  in 
Rome,  then  a  schoolmaster  in  Etruria,  where  he  taught  Latin  and 

Greek. 

2.  Next  he  became  a  lawyer,  and  next  a  soldier,  in  which  capacity 
he  distinguished  himself  by  his  courage,  and  was  made  a  captain  of  a 
eohort  in"the  Parthian  war.  After  passing  through  the  usual  grada- 
tions of  preferment  in  Britain  and  Mcesia,  he  obtained  the  conunand 
of  a  legion  under  Aurelius. 

3.  This  emperor  caused  him  to  be  made  consul,  for  his  eminent 
services.  He  was  next  intrusted  with  the  government  of  Mcesia,  and 
at  length  made  governor  of  Rome.  Under  Commodus  he  was  sent 
into  exile,  but  soon  recalled  to  reform  the  abuses  of  the  army. 

4.  During  a  mutiny  which  took  place  among  the  legions,  he  was 
?ft  for  dead  in  a  heap  of  the  slain  ;  but  having  recovered,  he  punished 
.he  mutineers,  and  restored  discipline  in  the  ranks. 

5.  He  was  then  sent  to  Africa,  where  another  sedition  had  nearly 
proved  fatal  to  him,  and  being  now  fatigued  witli  this  long  series  of 
hibors  and  dangers,  he  returned  and  lived  in  quiet  retirement  at  Ronie 
He  was,  however,  again  called  forth  by  Commodus,  who  made  him 
prefect  of  the  city. 

6.  Fertinax  held  this  office  when  he  was  roused  from  his  sleep  at 
n\"\u  by  Laitus,  the  captain  of  the  emperor's  guard.     Not  doubting 


CLXI  —  I.  Who  succeeded  Commodus  ?    2—5.  What  were  the  early  adventure*  ol 


DIDIUS  JULIA>^U& 


223 


that  an  order  for  his  death  had  been  issued  by  the  tyrant,  Fertinax 
made  iiiinself  rea<ly  for  tiie  executioner ;  but  instead  of  this,  he  was 
greeted  with  the  announcement  that  he  was  emperor  of  Rome. 

7.  At  first  he  was  unwilling  to  accept  sucii  a  trust,  and  urged  the 
pleas  of  his  old  age  and  increasing  infirmities.  But  his  scruples  were 
disregarded  ;  he  was  immediately  escorted  to  the  camp,  and  proclaimed 
emperor.  1  he  hopes  which  had  been  formed  respecting  him  wcic 
not  disappointed. 

8.  Fertinax,  by  strict  discipline  and  wise  regulations,  restrained 
the  licentiousness  of  the  praetorian  bands,  and  protected  the  citizens 
against  the  overbearing  insolence  with  which  this  arrogant  soldiery 
had  long  treated  them.  He  attended  all  the  meetings  of  the  senate, 
and  paid  such  devotion  to  business,  that  the  meanest  petitioner  could 
always  obtain  access  to  him. 

9.  Fertinax  melted  down  all  the  silver  statues  which  had  been 
erected  to  Commodus.  He  put  to  sale  all  his  buffoons,  jesters,  and 
horses,  which  produced  so  large  a  sum  of  money  that  he  was  able  to 
abolish  many  oppressive  taxes  on  the  industry  of  the  people. 

10.  His  strictness  in  reforming  the  praetorian  bands  excited  against 
him  the  hatred  of  these  insolent  soldiers,  and  they  resolved  to  depose 
him.  Assembling  in  the  streets,  they  directed  their  march  to  the 
palace.  The  attendants  of  the  emperor  took  to  flight,  but  Fertinax 
boldly  faced  the  insurgents,  and  advancing  into  the  midst  of  them, 
asked  if  they  had  come  to  betray  their  master  and  shed  his  blood. 

11.  Confounded  with  this  act  of  personal  heroism,  the  rebels 
shrunk  back  and  showed  a  disposition  to  retreat,  when  a  barbarian  of 
Tongres  struck  him  in  the  breast  with  a  lance,  exclaiming,  "  The 
soldiers  send  you  this!"  Fertinax,  muffling  his  head  in  his  robe, 
and  calling  upon  Jupiter  to  avenge  his  death,  fell  and  expired  under 
B  multitude  of  wounds,  A.  D.  193. 


CHAPTER  CLXH. 


Didius  Juliaiius, 

1.  Rome  was  now  placed  in  the  most  deplorable  condition  ;  hei 
unjirincipled  citizens  liad  shown  their  submission  to  any  usurper, 
liowever  detestable  and  cruel,  provided  he  administered  to  their  dis- 
solute pleasures.  Such  was  the  depth  of  vice  in  which  they  were 
plunged,  that  a  good  man  seemed  unfit  as  well  as  unable  to  rule  over 
hem. 

*2.  But  a  scene  of  degradation  hitherto  unparalleled  was  now  to  be 
exhibited.     The  empire  was  put  up  for  sale  to  the  highest  bidder,  by 


Periinax?    6,7.  How  was  he  called  to  the  empire  1    8,  9.  How  did  he  reign  7    10  How 
'Ihl  he  otferd  d  \e  soldiery  ?     11.  How  did  he  die  ? 
CliXlJ  —1.  What  was  done  on  the  death  of  Periinauc?    2.  Who  became  emperor  f 


224 


DIDIUS  JULIANUS. 


■be  PrjKtor/an  Guards.     A  senator  of  immense  wealth,  named  Didius 
Jiilianus,  bid  it  oflflbr  a  sum  equal  to  ten  millions  of  dollars. 

3.  The  soldiers  who  received  and  shared  the  money  obtained  by 
this  infamous  transaction,  proclaimed  iiim  emj)eror,  and  escorted  bin' 
throufjh  the  streets  of  Rome  amid  the  liisses  of  the  people.  The 
obedient  senate,  Inwever,  sanctioned  his  elevation.  Didius,  having 
acquired  his  di^rnity  by  purchase,  resolved  to  use  it  for  his  pleasure. 

4.  He  jjave  himself  no  concern  about  public  affairs,  but  passed  liis 
time  in  feastin^r  and  entertainments.  He  soon  became  the  object  of 
fjeneral  contempt,  and  was  loaded  with  curses  whenever  he  went 
abroad.  The  people  cried  out,  in  his  hearing,  that  he  was  a  thief 
and  had  stolen  the  empire. 

5.  The  stupid  Didius,  insensible  to  shame,  bore  all  these  insults 
unmoved.  He  bowed  and  smiled  to  those  who  heaped  affronts  upon 
him,  and  submitted  without  a  murmur  to  the  whims  and  caprices  of 
the  populace. 

6.  But  amidst  this  degradation  of  the  national  character,  a  portion 
of  tlie  ancient  Roman  spirit  yet  lingered  in  the  provinces.  Two 
generals,  Septimius  Severus,  in  Germany,  and  Pescennius  Niger,  in 
Syria,  resolved  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  Rome. 

7.  Niger  was  immediately  proclaimed  emperor  by  his  army,  and 
the  kings  and  princes  of  Asia  sent  ambassadors  to  acknowledge  his 
title.  Content  with  this  empty  homage,  he  made  no  efforts  to  secure 
the  empire,  but  devoted  himself  to  a  luxurious  life  at  Antioch. 

8.  Severus  proceeded  with  more  caution  and  foresight.  He  took 
as  his  partner,  Albinus,  who  commanded  in  Britain,  and  made  him- 
self master  of  all  the  strong  places  in  Germany.  He  then  marched 
for  Italy,  at  the  head  of  a  well  appointed  army. 

9.  Didius  prevailed  upon  the  senate  to  declare  Severus  a  traitor ; 
but  he  was  unable  to  raise  an  army,  and  perplexed  with  opposing 
counsels,  he  waited  the  approach  of  his  rival.  On  the  advance  of 
Severus  towards  Rome,  Didius,  with  the  consent  of  the  senate, 
despatched  ambassadors,  offering  to  divide  the  government  with  him. 
This  offer  was  rejected,  and  the  senate,  finding  the  cause  of  Didius 
hopeless,  deposed  him  from  his  authority,  and  declared  Severus 
emperor. 

10.  The  wretched  usurper,  who  had  purchased,  by  an  enormous 
sum  of  money,  a  comfortl^-^is  and  disgraceful  reign  of  three  months, 
was  dragged  from  his  throne  with  ignominy,  and  his  head  was  struck 
off  by  the  common  executioner. 

11.  Severus,  before  he  entered  Rome,  ordered  the  Praetorian 
Guards,  who  had  sold  the  empire,  to  be  brought  unatmed  into  his 
presence.  He  reproached  them  for  their  crimes,  ordered  them  to  be 
stripped  of  their  miHtary  equipments,  deprived  of  the  title  and  rank 
of  soldiers,  and  banished  to  the  distance  of  one  hundred  miles  fiom 
Rome.     The  new  emperor  then   made  his  entrance  into  the  city. 


1,4.5.  How  was  Didius  ireaied  by  the  people?  6.  Who  opposed  hia  aulhorilv ) 
^.  What  of  Niiier?  8.  Severus?  9.  How  did  Didina  behave?  10.  What  became  of 
tiiin  ?  11.  Huw  did  Severus  ireal  ihe  Praetorian  Quardd?  12.  Wlial  oei'-ame  »/ 
Nitiert 


KEKiN  OF  SEPTIMIUS  SEVEKUS. 


225 


riie  streets  were  strewed  with  flowers,  and  the  seni"^  received  hiir 
with  the  most  distinguished  honors. 

12.  In  the  mean  time,  his  rival,  Niger,  was  reigring  in  the  east 
under  the  title  of  Augustus,  and  Severus  found  it  necessary  to  take 
the  field  against  him.  Many  battles  were  fought,  but  at  length  Niger 
was  totally  defeated  in  the  plains  of  the  Issus,  where  he  lost  both  hia 
empire  and  his  life. 


CHAPTER  CLXHI. 


Reigns  of  Septimius  Severus  and  Caracalla, 

1.  The  next  object  of  Severus  w^as  to  rid  himself  of  Albinue,  his 
oartner.  Under  the  guise  of  messengers  carrying  despatches,  he 
sent  assassins  into  Britain  to  take  his  life.  But  Albinus,  obtaining 
knowledge  of  this,  proclaimed  himself  emperor.  A  war  was  carried 
on  in  Gaul,  and  Severus  was  at  one  period  in  the  most  desperate  cir- 
cumstances. 

2.  But  at  length  he  totally  defeated  the  troops  of  Albinus  at  Lyons, 
took  him  prisoner,  and  put  him  to  death.  Severus  used  his  victory 
with  great  cruelty.  In  order  to  establish  himself  firmly  in  power,  he 
distributed  rewards  and  honors  most  profusely  among  his  troops. 
He  then  undertook  an  expedition  against  the  Parthians,  which  he 
successfully  accomplished. 

3.  From  Parthia  he  advanced  to  the  south,  and  thence  proceeded 
to  Egypt,  where  he  studied,  with  an  inquiring  eye,  the  various  mon- 
uments and  ruins  which  even  at  that  time  rendered  the  banks  of  the 
Nile  interesting. 

4.  As  the  Roman  arms  had  experienced  some  checks  in  Britain, 
Severus  resolved  to  regain  the  territory  which  had  been  lost.  He 
appointed  his  sons,  Caracalla  and  Geta,  his  successors  in  the  empire, 
and  taking  them  in  his  company,  landed  in  the  island,  A.  D.  206. 
He  left*Geta  in  the  south,  and  marched  with  Caracalla  against  the 
Caledonians  in  the  north. 

5.  Pursuing  the  inhabitants  through  their  woods  and  marshes,  he 
lost  fifty  thousand  men  in  this  toilsome  expedition ;  but  the  Caledo 
nians  were  so  harassed  that  they  sued  for  peace,  and  surrendered  a 
considerable  portion  of  their  territory. 

6.  To  secure  his  conquests,  Severus  built  a  wall  extending  across 
the  island  from  the  Sol  way  Firth  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tyne,  a 
distance  of  sixty-eight  miles.  This  wall  was  built  of  freestone, 
twelve  feet  high  and  eight  feet  thick,  with  a  ditch  on  the  north  side, 
and  many  fortresses  along  its  extent.  By  this  barrier,  the  Caledoni- 
ans were  prevented  from  making  irruptions  into  the  Roman  tern- 
lories. 

7.  Severus  having  retired  to  York,  Caracalla  made  an  attempt 

CLXIII.  —  1,  2    How  did  Severus  conduct  toward  Albinus?    3.  What  were  hw  next 
ooovetaents?     4.  What  successors  did  he  appoiut  ?     5.  What  of  the  Caledonian."*'' 

15 


/■'"> 


/ 


Si26 


MACRINUS  AND  HELIOGABALUS. 


here  to  murdei  his  father.  The  old  man  was  so  shocked  at  the 
brutality  of  his  son,  that  he  called  him  into  his  presence,  and  offering 
him  a  naked  sword,  said,  "  If  you  are  amhitious  of  reignint^  alone, 
in.orue  your  hands  now  in  your  father's  blood,  and  let  not  the  world 
witness  your  want  of  filial  tenderness." 

8.  Caracalla  was  not  greatly  abashed  by  this  reproof.  He  pre- 
vailed upon  the  soldiers  to  revolt,  and  proclaim  him  emperor.  When 
Severus,  who  had  now  lost  the  use  of  his  feet,  heard  of  this,  he 
ordered  his  attendants  to  place  him  in  his  litter  ;  he  then  summonec 
Caracalla,  the  tribunes  and  centurions,  into  his  presence. 

9.  Confounded  with  the  energy  and  boldness  of  the  emperor,  they 
implored  bis  pardon  on  their  knees.  Severus  replied,  **  It  is  the 
head  that  governs,  and  not  the  feet."  Finding  his  disorder  gaining 
upon  him,  he  called  for  poison,  but  it  was  refused.  lie  then  swal- 
lowed an  enormous  quantity  of  food  to  hasten  his  end,  which  had  the 
desired  etfect,  and  he  died  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  reign,  A.  D. 
210. 

10.  Caracalla  and  Geta  were  proclaimed  joint  emperors  by  the 
army,  arid  immediately  exhibited  the  most  violent  hatred  towards 
each  other.  Soon  after  the  return  of  the  former  to  Rome,  he  mur- 
dered his  brother  in  his  mother's  arms.  To  prevent  the  consequences 
of  this  atrocious  act,  he  gained  the  support  of  the  praetorian  soldiers 
by  large  gifts  of  money,  and  then,  with  strange  inconsistency,  pre- 
vailed upon  the  senate  to  rank  his  brother  in  the  number  of  the 
gods. 

11.  His  sole  dependence  being  upon  the  army,  he  used  the  most 
iniquitous  means  to  procure  money  for  purchasing  their  venal  sup- 
port. The  richest  men  of  Rome  were  put  to  death  under  false  accu- 
sation&  of  treason,  and  their  estates  confiscated.  To  lower  the  pride 
of  the  Romans,  he  granted  the  name  and  privileges  of  citizenship  to 
all  the  subjects  of  the  empire. 

12.  At  length,  after  a  series  of  tjrrannical  and  disgraceful  acts,  he 
was  assassinated  near  Edessa,  by  Martial,  a  centurion,  who  had 
been  engaged  for  this  purpose  by  Macrinus,  the  praetorian  prefect, 
A.  I).  217.  The  latter  was  at  first  unsuspected  of  any  participation 
in  the  deed,  but  Martial  was  seized  and  cut  to  pieces  by  the  soldiery. 


CHAPTER   CLXIV. 


Macrinus  aiid  Heliogahalus. 


1.  Macrinus  was  declared  emperor  by  the  army,  and  this  choice 
was  confirmed  by  the  senate.     He  was  a  native  of  Mauritan'a,  bu* 
was  very  popular  with  the  Romans  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign 
This,  however,   was  not  of  long  continuance.     His  cowardice  ii. 


5.  Of  tht>  wall  of  Severus?    7,8.  How  did  Caracalla  behave ?    9.  Howdid  Se^orua  dif 
10.  Who  succeeded  him?     11.  Of  the  cruelty  of  Caruoalla?     12.  What  wad  Iuh  •(.;  ? 


MACRINUS  AND  HELIOGABALUS. 


227 


uurcl  a.smg  a  peace  from  the  Persians  by  a  large  sum  cf  money,  and 
his  constant  affectation  of  imitating  the  virtuous  Aurelius,  irritated 
the  people,  and  brought  him  into  contempt. 

2.  In  his  efforts  to  restrain  the  licentiousness  of  the  soldiers,  be 
was  compelled  to  adopt  some  severe  rules  of  discipline,  which  led  to 
a  mutiny.  Mffisa,  the  grandmother  of  Heliogabalus,  who  was  an 
illegitunate  son  of  Caracalla,  took  advantage  of  this  rebellious  spirit, 
and  by  distributing  liberal  presents  among  the  soldiers,  she  recoin' 
mended  Heliogabalus  to  their  notice. 

3.  Macrinus  was  leading  a  hfe  of  pleasure  at  Antioch,  when  the 
troops  at  Rome  proclaimed  Heliogabalus  emperor.  This  individual 
was  but  fourteen  years  of  age ;  and  was  a  priest  in  the  temple 
of  the  sun,  in  Phoenicia.  His  only  recommendation  for  the  impe- 
rial purple  was  his  relationship  to  Caracalla  and  the  beauty  of  his 
person. 

4.  Macrinus,  on  hearing  of  the  revolution  at  Rome,  despatched  his 
lieutenant,  Julian,  with  some  legions  into  Italy  ;  but  these  troops  slew 
their  general,  and  declared  for  the  new  emperor.  Macrinus  now  took 
the  field  in  person,  but  being  detained  by  an  illness  at  Chalcedon,  he 
was  surprised  and  put  to  death  by  his  enemies,  A.  D.  218. 

5.  The  accession  of  Heliogabalus  to  the  empire  was  ratified  by  the 
senate  and  people.  Surrounded  by  flatterers,  who  found  it  for  their 
interest  to  gratify  all  his  wishes,  he  was  soon  initiated  into  all  the 
profligacy  of  the  times,  and  he  is  described  by  the  Roman  historians 
as  a  monster  of  sensuality  and  vice. 

6.  He  appointed  his  mother  and  grandmother  his  colleagues  in  the 
empire.  He  created  a  senate  of  women,  the  business  of  which  was 
to  arrange  the  fashions  of  dress  which  were  to  prevail  in  the  empire. 
He  raised  his  horse  to  the  dignity  of  consul,  and  fed  him  with  gilded 
oats. 

7.  He  compelled  the  Romans  to  worship  the  god  whose  name  he 
bore,  and  which  was  nothing  but  a  black  stone.  To  this  deity  tem- 
ples were  raised,  and  the  shrines  of  the  gods  were  plundered  to  deck 
that  of  the  new  divinity. 

8.  His  prodigality  was  such  that  he  regarded  nothing  as  worth 
eating  that  was  bought  at  a  moderate  price.  His  suppers  cost  some- 
times sixty  thousand  dollars  each.  He  dressed  himself  in  gold  and 
purple,  and  never  wore  the  same  dress  twice. 

0.  His  apartments  were  furnished  with  the  richest  stufl^s,  covered 
with  gold  and  jewels.  His  mats  consisted  of  the  down  of  hares,  or 
the  soft  feathers  from  beneath  the  wings  of  partridges.  His  carpets 
were  made  of  gold  and  silver  tissue,  and  his  shoes  were  covered  with 
prfX'ious  Stones,  to  attract  the  admiration  of  the  populace. 

10.  The  mother  of  the  emperor,  annoyed  by  these  extravagances, 
conceived  the  design  of  checking  them  by  giving  him  a  colleague  in 
the  empire.  Alexander  Severus  was  proposed  for  this  ofllccs  and 
accepted.  But  Helioo^abalus  soon  found  this  restraint  upon  his  vices 
uncomfortable,  and  wished  to  recall  what  he  had  done. 


CLXIir.  -I.    Who    succeeded   Caracalla?    2,3.  What  of  Helioirabalus?    4.  What 
became  ol   Macrinus?    5.  What  waa  the  character  of  Heliogabafua?    6—9.   Of  hU 


22b 


ALEXANDER  SEVh.RUS. 


11.  The  good  qualities  of  Alexander,  however,  had  gained  him 
many  friends,  and  when  Heliogabalus  attempted  to  expel  h,m  from 
his  office,  a  riot  ensued,  and  the  latter  would  have  been  killed  as  ne 
was  walking  in  his  garden,  had  he  not  saved  himself  by  flitrht. 

12.  The  seditious  spirit,  once  excited,  was  not  to  be  quelled.  The 
soldiers  insisted  upon  guarding  Alexander,  and  prohibiting  any  of 
the  other  emperor's  favorites  from  contaminating  him  wiin  their 
society.  Heliogabalus  was  now  seriously  alarmed,  and  finding  his 
cause  desperate,  made  preparations  for  death  suitable  to  his  general 
habits. 

13.  He  erected  a  tower  with  steps  of  gold  and  mother-of-pearl, 
from  which  he  might,  in  the  last  extremity,  cast  himself  headlong. 
He  kept  about  his  person  cords  of  purple,  silk  and  gold,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  strangling  himself.  He  provided  golden  swords  and  daggers, 
and  had  boxes  of  emerald  furnished  with  a  variety  of  poisons. 

14.  In  this  state  of  mind,  he  meditated  schemes  for  taking  the  life 
of  his  rival  by  poison  and  otherwise,  but  these  all  failed  oi  eflect. 
His  soldiers  at  length  mutinied,  and  pursued  him  through  tlie  rooms 
of  his  palace.  They  dragged  him  from  an  obscure  corn«T,  put  him 
to  death,  and  threw  his  body  into  the  Tiber.  His  mothei-  and  many 
other  partners  of  his  crimes  shared  the  same  fate. 


CHAPTER   CLXV. 

Alexander  Sever  us.  —  Maximin. 

1.  Alexander  Severus  was  unanimously  declared  emperor  by  the 
senate,  A.  D.  222,  and  he  was  every  way  deserving  of  that  high 
honor.  One  of  his  fust  acts  was  to  reform  the  abuses  of  his  prede- 
cessor. He  used  his  utmost  strength  to  check  the  immoralities  of  the 
people.  Under  his  beneficent  sway,  the  Christians,  who  had  sullbred 
much  persecution  in  Rome,  enjoyed  full  protection. 

2.  The  personal  accomplishments  of  this  emperor  are  highly 
extolled  by  historians.  He  was  not  only  a  patron  of  literature,  but 
he  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
authors.  He  was  skilled  in  mathematics,  geometry,  music,  painting 
and  sculpture. 

3.  The  Persians  having  disturbed  the  tranquillity  of  the  empire, 
Alexander  marched  against  them,  and,  if  we  may  believe  the  annal- 
ists of  that  period,  he  routed  an  enormous  army  of  that  nation  wit  I: 
great  slaughter,  capturing  the  cities  of  Ctesiphon  and  Babylon,  On 
his  return  to  Antioch,  his  mother,  Mammaea,  sent  for  the  celebrated 
Origen,  to  give  the  emperor  instructions  respecting  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity. 


extravagant  behavior?      10,  11.  Of  Alexander  Severus?      12,  13,  14.  What  became  of 
neli<)?al)alus? 
CLXV.  —  I   2.  What  of  the  character  and  acts  of  Alexander  S«veni«  J    3.  Of  the  Pe- 


CRUELTIES  OF  MAXIMLN. 


229 


4.  In  the  mean  time  the  northern  part  of  the  empire  was  invaded 
by  hordes  of  barbarians  from  Geimany  and  the  regions  beyond,  who 
crossed  the  Rhine  and  Danube  in  such  swarms  that  they  spread  the 
alarm  even  to  the  gates  of  Rome. 

5.  Alexander  took  the  field  against  them  in  person.  He  obtained 
various  successes,  but  the  strict  discipline  which  he  enforced  in  his 
army  excited  a  mutiny  among  the  German  legions,  which  had  been 
accustomed  to  every  kind  of  indulgence  under  the  preceding  reign. 
Maximin,  one  of  the  generals,  fomented  this  spirit  of  sedition,  and  at 
length  the  soldiers  burst  into  the  tent  of  the  emperor  and  cut  off  his 
head. 

0.  Maximin  was  immediately  proclaimed  emperor,  A.  D.  235. 
His  father  was  a  shepherd  of  Thrace,  and  Maximin  himself  exercised 
the  same  humble  profession.  Having  frequently  headed  his  country- 
men against  the  barbarians  and  robbers  who  infested  the  plains  on 
whicii  his  flocks  grazed,  he  had  acquired  a  knowledge  of  irregular 
warfare,  and  was  inflamed  with  a  passion  for  military  glory. 

7.  He  therefore  entered  the  Roman  army,  where  he  soon  became 
as  remarkable  for  his  courage  and  discipline  as  he  was  for  his  strength 
and  gigantic  stature.  He  was  nearly  eight  and  a  half  feet  in  height, 
and  liis  frame  was  equally  strong  and  symmetrical.  He  was  capable  of 
drawing  a  load  which  a  yoke  of  oxen  could  not  move.  He  could 
break  the  thigh-bone  of  a  horse  by  a  kick,  and  strike  out  his  tefth 
by  a  blow  of  his  fist.  He  commonly  ate  forty  pounds  of  meat  every 
day,  and  drank  six  gallons  of  wine. 

8.  Maximin  first  displayed  his  strength  at  the  public  games,  which 
Septimius  Severus  celebrated  on  the  birth-day  of  his  son  Geta.  The 
gigantic  Thracian  had  requested  permission  to  contend  for  the  prize 
of  wrestling,  but  Severus  allowed  him  to  engage  only  with  slaves. 
[n  running,  he  outstripped  sixteen  persons,  one  after  the  other.  He 
kept  pace  with  the  emperor  on  horseback,  and  after  being  thus 
fatigued,  he  overcame  seven  of  the  most  active  soldiers. 

9.  These  feats  of  strength  induced  the  emperor  to  take  him  into 
his  body-guard.  In  the  reign  of  Caracalla  he  was  made  a  centuriou, 
after  which,  he  went  through  various  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  t  1 
Alexander  Severus  gave  him  the  command  of  a  legion  in  Germany      | 

V\  .  ' 


CHAPTER  CLXVI. 

Crtcelties  and  Death  of  Maximiii. 

1.  Thl  base  ingratitude  which  Maximin  had  exhibited  toward  the 
virtuous  Alexander  was  followed  by  a  system  of  tyranny  and 
brutality  which  had  scarcely  been  equalled  even  in  the  reigns  of  hia 
most  abaiidoned  predecessois.  The  senate  having  refused  to  ratify 
his  election,  he  determined  to  reign  without  their  concurrence. 


■nnwar?    4.  The  l)arbariaiis?    5.  What  became  of  Severus?    6   Whr  su' teedeJ  himl 
7,  %  a.  WlMit  was  ihe  cliaracter  and  history  of  Maximin? 


■.;Jar.w..-L>fc.trf 


230 


THE  TWO  GORDIANS. 


2.  He  put  to  death  every  person  whom  he  disliked,  and  rewiJvcJ 
to  force  an  unwilling  obedience  from  all  ranks  in  the  state.  He  con- 
demned rich  men  to  the  executioner,  for  the  purpose  ol'  confiscating 
their  estates.  He  persecuted  the  Christians,  and  with  the  true  spirit 
of  a  mean  upstart,  put  to  death  all  who  were  acquainted  with  him  in 
early  life,  and  remembered  the  lowness  of  his  extraction. 

3.  Whoever  was  suspected  of  plotting-  against  him,  was  sacrificed 
without  delay,  and  in  this  manner  four  hundred  persons  lost  their 
lives.  Some  of  these  Maximin  killed  by  heating  ;  others  he  exposed 
to  wild  beasts;  others  were  crucified,  or  sewed  up  in  the  carcasses 
of  animals  newly  slain. 

4.  Maximin  made  war  upon  the  Germans,  defeated  their  annies, 
cut  down  their  standing  corn,  and  wasted  their  country  to  an  extent 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The  soldiers  were  strongly  attached 
to  him,  on  account  of  the  increased  pay  which  he  allowed  them  or 
these  expeditions.  He  also  recommended  himself  to  them  by  the 
zeal  with  which  he  shared  in  all  the  duties  of  a  common  soldier,  heinir 
always  found  at  the  point  of  danger,  and  fighting  as  a  private,  while 
he  commanded  as  a  general. 

5.  But  a  spirit  of  sedition  was  aroused  in  the  Africai  provinces 
where  the  cruelties  and  exactions  of  Maximin  had  made  his  name 
odious.     Gordian,  the  proconsul  of  Africa,  now  in  his  eightieth  year, 
and  whose  talents  and  virtues  were  well  known  in  the  empire,  was 
proclaimed  emperor,  in  conjunction  with  his  son. 

C.  Finding  it  impossible  to  decline  the  office,  which  was  forced 
upon  him  by  the  joint  instances  of  the  soldiery  and  the  people,  Gor- 
dian acquainted  the  senate  with  what  had  happened,  assuring  them 
of  his  reluctance  to  accept  the  important  charge,  and  declaring  thai 
he  would  retain  his  authority  no  longer  than  till  he  had  freed  the 
empire  from  its  oppressor. 


CHAPTER   CLXVH. 

The  Two  Gordians, 

1.  The  senate  and  people  of  Rome  confirmed  the  election  of  Gor- 
dian. They  displaced  the  governors,  declared  Maximin  a  public 
enemy,  and  commanded  the  provinces  to  acknowledge  Gordian. 
When  this  intelligence  was  brought  to  the  tyrant,  he  was  wrought 
up  into  a  fury  that  nothing  could  control.  He  raved  like  a  madman, 
and  beat  his  head  against  the  wall. 

2.  But  growing  a  little  cooler  with  reflection,  he  harangued  his 
army,  promised  his  soldiers  to  reward  them  with  the  estates  of  his 
enemies,  and  resolved  to  march  to  Rome  and  take  his  revenge  by  an 
indiscriminate  slaughter.     He  accordingly  made  peace  with  the  bai 
jarians,  and  led  his  army  towards  Italy.     On  his  march  he  received 


CLXVI.  —  1.  2,  3.  What  of  the  cruellies  of  Maximin?    4.  Hiswara?    5.  What  look 
place  ill  Africa?     6.   How  did  Gordian  behave? 
(•LXV 11.  —  1.  How  did  l^ie  seoale  antl  people  benava  7    2.  How  did  Maximin  itehave  % 


GORDIAN. 


J31 


Ailelli^^ence  that  Gordian  and  his  son  had  been  defeated  and  slain  by 
Capelianus,  one  of  Maximin's  adherents  in  Africa. 

3.  This  unexpected  turn  of  affairs,  while  it  raised  the  hopes  of  the 
t5rrant,  produced  the  most  terrible  consternation  in  Rome;  but  the 
senate,  undaunted  by  the  calamity,  appointed  Pupienus  and  Balbinus 
emperors.  This  choice  did  not  satisfy  the  multitude  ;  a  vast  crowd 
assembled  while  the  new  sovereigns  were  offering  the  usual  sacrifice, 
md  demanded,  uith  loud  clamors,  a  prince  of  the  Gordian  race. 

4.  After  the  senate  had  vainly  attempted  to  quiet  the  mob,  a  youth 
of  this  family,  only  twelve  years  old,  was  proclaimed  Csesar.  In  the 
mean  time,  Maximin  entered  Italy,  and  laid  siegeto  Aquileia ;  but 
this  city  was  bravely  defended  by  the  citizens,  who  dreaded  the  cruel- 
ties of  the  tyrant.  They  threw  scalding  pitch  and  sulphur  upon  the 
soldiers  who  attempted  to  scale  the  walls.  The  old  men  and  women 
fought  upon  the  ramparts,  and  the  females  cut  ofi^  their  hair  to  furnish 
bow-strings  for  the  defenders. 

5.  The  tyrant,  exasperated  by  this  unexpected  resistance,  turned 
his  rage  upon  his  own  men,  and  put  several  of  them  to  death.  A 
mutiny  soon  broke  out  in  the  army ;  and  a  large  body  of  his  men 
entered  the  tent  of  Maximin  at  noonday,  and  put  him  to  death,  with 
his  son  and  his  chief  favorites,  A.  D.  238. 

6.  Tranquillity  was  restored  by  the  death  of  Maximin ;  but  the 
empire  was  soon  involved  in  foreign  wars.  The  Carpi  and  Goths, 
passing  the  Danube,  ravaged  the  province  of  Moesia ;  while  the  Per- 
sians renewed  their  hostilities  on  the  eastern  frontiers.  Pupienus 
was  preparing  to  march  against  the  latter,  when  events  of  a  serious 
nature  at  home  claimed  his  attention. 

7.  Jealousies  had  arisen  between  the  two  emperors.  Pupienus 
was  universally  allowed  to  surpass  his  colleague,  both  as  a  soldier 
and  as  a  statesman.     But  as  he  was  the  son  of  a  blacksmith,  Balbinus 

ooked  upon  him  as  his  inferior.  The  petty  dissensions  which  arose 
from  this  source,  emboldened  the  Praetorian  Guards  to  attempt  a 
change  in  the  government.  They  attacked  the  palace  when  the 
emperors  were  returning  from  the  Capitoline  Games,  seized  them  both, 
and  put  them  to  death,  A.  D.  238.  The  young  Gordian  remained 
sole  emperor. 


CHAPTER  CLXVHI. 

Gordian.  —  Philip.  —  Decius. 

.  MisiTHEUS,  the  commander  of  the  PraBtorian  Guards,  acted  as 
minisU^r  and  guardian  of  young  Gordian.  He  was  well  qualified  for 
ihe  oflice,  uniting  the  valor  of  a  soldier  to  the  wisdom  of  a  statesman. 
The  successes  of  the  Persians  drew  his  attention  to  the  scene  of  war- 
fare in  the  east.     On  his  march  he  encountered  an  army  of  Gauls  in 


What  l)ecan  e  of  the  Gordians?     3.  What  was  done  by  the  senate  and  people?     4.  By 
Maximin?     What  of  Acjuileia?    5.  What  l)ecame  of  Maximin  ?    6.  What  folliiwu-l  hia 


death  7    7.  What  of  Pupienus  and  Balhinus  ? 


•^•» 


232 


PHILIP— DECIUS. 


Moesia,  who  had  endeavored  to  settle  in  Thrace,  and  after  many  con 
fiicts  ho  drove   them  back  to  their  own  territories.     ^J'he  Persiani 
\ver<;  defeated  in  every  battle,  r.nd  pursued  to  the  grates  of  Ctesiphon 

2.  But  these  victories  were  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the 
death  of  Misitheus,  who  died  suddenly,  and  was  supposed  to  have 
been  poisoned  by  Philip,  an  Arabian,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  praetorians.  The  good  fortune  of  Gordian  seems  to  have 
abandoned  him  with  the  loss  of  this  able  minister. 

3.  Philip  took  advantage  of  the  public  discontents,  and  contrived  to 
have  himself  raised  to  an  equal  power  with  the  emperor.  Having 
attained  to  this  elevation,  he  poisoned  his  colleague,  and  became  sole 
emperor,  A.  D.  244. 

4.  The  father  of  Philip  had  been  captain  of  a  band  of  robbers  in 
Arabia,  and  had  probably  brought  up  his  son  to  the  same  adventurous 
profession.  Pliilip,  on  a  visit  to  the  scenes  of  his  early  life,  founded 
a  city  in  Arabia,  which  he  named  Philippopolis. 

5.  The  thousandth  year  of  Rome  happened  in  his  reign,  and  he 
celebrated  the  secular  games  with  a  magnificence  corresponding  to 
the  occasion.  The  people  were  entertained  with  splendid  shows, 
and  two  thousand  gladiators  fought  in  the  amplutheatre  for  theii 
amusement. 


Gladiators. 


6.  The  reign  of  Philip  was  disturbed  by  many  insurrections,  espe 
cially  in  Pannonia,  the  suppression  of  which  he  intrusted  to  Decius. 
Scarcely  had  this  general  reached  Ulyricum,  when  his  soldiers  conn, 
pelled  him,  by  the  threat  of  instant  death,  to  assume  the  imperial 
title.  Philip,  on  hearing  of  this  event,  marched  agauisi  Decius,  but 
was  defeated  and  slain  near  Verona,  A.  D.  249. 


CLXVIII.  —  1,2.  What  of  Misitheus?    3,  4.  Of  Philip?    5   Whiil  happeuc  I  in  bit 


GALLU& 


233 


7.  Decius  is  said  to  have  been  secretly  a  Christian,  but  no  evidence 
of  \iiis  is  appajent  in  his  actions.  He  was  acknowledged  emperor 
by  the  senate  and  people  ;  the  surname  of  Trajan  was  bestowed  upon 
iiim,  from  his  resemblance  in  character  to  that  virtuous  emperor. 

8.  He  permitted  the  office  of  censor  to  be  revived,  and  Valerian,  a 
.man  of  the  strictest  morals,  was  intrusted  with  its  duties.  The 
emperor  endeavored  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  the  inferior  classes, 
while  he  guarded  the  dignity  of  the  patrician  orders. 

9.  But  Rome  had  now  reached  such  a  state  that  no  individual 
talent  and  no  high  example  of  virtue  could  suflice  to  arrest  tin; 
progress  of  corruption,  and  prevent  her  downfall.  The  constant  and 
bitter  disputes  which  were  carried  on  between  the  Christian  and  the 
Pagan  inhabitants  of  the  empire,  created  the  most  pernicious  factions 
at  home,  while  the  growing  insolence  of  the  barbarian  hordes  of  the 
north  threatened  the  destruction  of  the  empire  from  without. 

10.  Decius  began  his  reign  by  one  of  the  most  sanguinary  persecu- 
tions that  ever  oppressed  the  church.  The  Christians  throughout 
the  empire  were  driven  from  their  habitations,  dragged  to  execution 
like  common  malefactors,  and  subjected  to  the  most  exquisite  tortures. 
Great  numbers  betook  themselves  to  the  mountains  and  deserts, 
choosing  rather  to  live  among  wild  beasts  than  with  human  beings 
mad  witli  religious  fanaticism, 

fAJ 


■/' 


CHAPTER   CLXIX. 

Gallus.  —  Mmilianus.  —  Valerian,  ^-^^^ 

1.  The  religious  disputes  of  the  empire  were  interrupted  by  an 
invasion  of  the  Goths,  who  crossed  the  Danube  and  devastated  Mcesia 
and  Thrace.  Decius  marched  to  oppose  them,  and  in  a  single 
engagement  destroyed  thirty  thousand  of  these  barbarians.  But  in 
following  up  his  success  he  was  led  into  an  ambuscade  by  the  treason 
of  his  own  general,  Gallus. 

2.  The  Roman  army,  surprised  in  a  narrow  defile,  was  surrounded 
by  the  Goths,  and  the  emperor,  seeing  his  son  fall  by  an  arrow,  and 
his  troops  routed,  resolved  to  die  on  the  field  of  battle.  Spurring  his 
horse  toward  the  enemy,  he  plunged  into  a  marsh,  where  he  was 
instantly  swallowed  up  and  never  seen  more,  A.  D.  251. 

3.  The  remnant  of  the  army  proclaimed  Gallus  emperor.  He  con- 
cluded a  dishonoraI)le  peace  with  the  Goths,  and  renewed  the  perse- 
cution against  the  Christians.  His  dastardly  conduct  provoked  gen- 
oral  indignation  ;  the  provincial  armies  revolted,  and  Mmilianus  was 
proclaimed  emperor  in  Moesia.  Gallus  marched  to  oppose  him,  but 
was  defeated  and  killed,  A.  D.  253. 


rcigii?    6.  What  became  of  him?    7.  What  of  Decius ?     8.  Of  the  censor?    i».  What 
ira-j  Iho  coajitioii  of  Home  ?     U     How  did  Decius  treat  the  Christians  ? 
CL\IX.  —  I.  What  of  iheGoiiis?    2.  How  did  Decius  die  7    3.  Who  succeeded  hi  "i  1 

20* 


2:n 


^MILIANUS  —  VALERIAN. 


4.  ^^milianiis  expected  to  be  acknowledged  emperor;  but  trie 
senale  reCused,  aid  the  army  in  Rluetia  proclaimed  Valerian.  Tlie 
prospect  of  a  civi:  war  induced  the  soldiers  of  ^milianus  to  put  their 
treneral  to  death,  and  Valerian  was  acknowledged  by  the  senate  and 
people 


Valerian. 

6.  lliis  emperor  was  sixty-three  years  of  age  when  he  was  raised 
to  the  purple.  He  possessed  an  unblemished  character,  and  powers 
which  might  have  revived  the  sinking  fortunes  of  the  empire.  But 
the  virtues  and  talents  which  had  distinguished  him  in  private  life  did 
not  appear  to  great  advantage  after  he  came  to  the  supreme  power. 

6.  He  made,  however,  some  good  attemj)ts  to  reform  the  abuses 
of  government,  but  he  tarnished  the  character  of  his  reign  by  perse- 
cuting the  Christians.  The  incursions  of  the  northern  hordes  called 
him  into  the  field  against  the  Goths  and  Scythians.  He  gained  a 
victory  over  he  latter ;  but  the  invasion  of  Syria  by  Sapor,  king  of 
Persia,  compelled  him  to  undertake  a  further  expedition  for  the  relief 
of  that  country. 

7.  Imprudently  passing  the  Euphrates,  he  was  surrounded  by  the 
Persian  army  near  Edessa,  in  a  situation  where  neither  courage  nor 


4,5    Wh.1t  of  Valerian?    6.  What  campaigns  did  he  undertake?    7,8.  What  misfoi 
lune  hapjiened  to  Valerian  ?    9.  What  truth  is  in  this  story  ? 


GALLIENUS-- CLAUDIUS  — QUINTILLIUS. 


235 


military  skill  could  be  of  any  avail.     He  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
carried  by  Sapor  in  triumph  to  his  capital. 

8.  The  captive  emperor  was  exposed  to  every  brutal  insult  by  his 
barbarous  conqueror,  who  used  his  neck  as  a  footstool  w  henever  he 
mounted  his  horse  After  he  had  languished  in  captivity  for  seven 
years,  his  eyes  were  put  out,  and  he  was  flayed  alive.  His  skin  was 
tanned,  painted  red,  and  nailed  up  in  one  of  the  Persian  temples  as  2 
national  trophy. 

9.  Such  is  the  common  account  of  the  captivity  of  this  unfortunate 
emperor ;  but  the  particulars  are  not  fully  authenticated,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  that  the  tale  is  to  a  considerable  extent  an  invention. 


■\ 


\ 


CHAPTER   CLXX. 


GalUenus.  —  Claudms.  —  Quintillius. 

1.  Gallienus,  the  son  of  Valerian,  succeeded  to  the  throne,  A.  D. 
260,  receiving  the  news  of  his  father's  misfortune  with  secret  pleasure 
and  open  indifference.  He  seemed  to  be  acquainted  with  almost 
everything  except  the  art  of  government ;  he  was  master  of  many 
curious  but  useless  sciences  ;  he  was  a  ready  orator,  an  excellent 
poet,  a  skilful  gardener,  a  good  cook,  and  a  most  contemptible 
prince. 

2.  At  the  moment  of  his  accession,  the  barbarians,  encouraged  by 
the  captivity  of  Valerian,  invaded  the  empire  on  all  sides.  The 
Goths  and  Scythians  ravaged  Pontus,  the  Franks  and  Alemanni 
carried  fire  and  sword  into  Rhaetia,  and  advanced  as  far  south  as 
Ravenna,  in  Italy.  The  Sarmatians  and  the  Quadi  entered  Dacia 
and  Pannonia  ;  other  barbarous  tribes  burst  into  Spain,  and  took 
possession  of  many  strongholds  in  that  country. 

3.  Gallienus  drove  out  the  barbarians  from  Italy,  and  Regillianus 
defeated  them  in  Dacia  and  Pannonia.  But  after  these  successes, 
the  emperor  sunk  into  complete  inactivity,  and  his  indolence  aroused 
a  host  of  competitors  for  the  sovereignty  in  the  difl^erent  provinces, 
who  were  commonly  called  the  "  thirty  tyrants,"  though  their  num- 
ber did  not  exceed  nineteen. 

4.  It  would  be  useless  to  describe  the  struggles  for  powder  among 
these  rivals,  which  distracted  every  part  of  the  empire.  The  most 
remarkable  of  them  was  Odenatus,  of  Palmyra,  who  gained  several 
victories  over  the  Persians,  and  besieged  Sapor,  in  Ctesiphon. 

5.  Gallienus  resolved  to  convert  a  rival  into  a  friend,  and  pro- 
claimed Odenatus  his  partner  in  the  empire.  But  the  Palmyrenian 
chief  was  murdered  by  some  of  his  own  countrymen,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  widow,  Zenobia,  who  took  the  title  of  Queen  of  the 
East. 


CLXX. —  1.  Who  succeeded  Valerian?    2,3.  What  of  the  wars  of  Gallienu.^?    4 
Of  the  thirty  tyrants?    5.  Of  Odenatus  au^  Zenobia  2    6.  Wliat  became  of  Gallieuusi 
7.  Of  Claudius  and  Quintillius. 


236 


AUREUAN— ZE>  JBIA. 


6.  ]S  ne  01  the  other  rivals  of  GaUienus  had  sufficient  strenrrth  tc 
resist  his  arms,  and  the  emperor  maintained  the  throne,  while  all  his 
opponents  fell  by  a  violent  death.  Gallienus  himself  was  assassinated 
A.  D.  268,  while  he  was  besieg-inor  Milan. 

7.  Flavins  Claudius  succeeded  Gallienus.  lie  defeated  the  Ger- 
mans and  Goths  with  gveai  slaughter.  He  then  prepared  to  marcl 
against  Zenobia,  who  had  conquered  Egypt,  and  assumed  a  sort  of 
imperial  authority ;  but  a  pestilence  broke  out  in  his  anny,  and  the 
emperor  himself  was  one  of  its  victims.  His  brother  Quinlillius  was 
invested  with  the  purple  by  the  army,  but  he  gave  such  dissatisfiiction 
by  attempting  to  revive  the  ancient  military  discipline,  that  he  was 
deposed  and  murdered  at  the  end  of  seventeen  days. 


CHAPTER  CLXXl. 


^  (^j  ^  Aurelian.  —  Zenobia,  yj 

1.  AuRELiAN,  a  native  of  Sirmium,  in  Pannonia,  was  next  chosen 
emperor  by  the  army,  A.  D.  270,  and  the  senate,  well  acquainted 
with  his  merits,  confirmed  the  election.  He  made  peace  with  the 
Goths,  and  led  his  army  against  the  Germans,  who  had  once  more 
invaded  Italy.  Aurelian  was  at  first  defeated,  but  he  soon  retrieved 
his  fortune,  and  cut  the  whole  barbarian  army  to  pieces.  His  next 
victory  was  obtained  over  the  Vandals,  who  had  just  crossed  the 
Danube.  Having  thus  secured  the  tranquillity  of  Europe,  he  marched 
into  the  east  against  Zenubia. 

2.  This  celebrated  queen  of  Palmyra  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
characters  recorded  in  history.  She  claimed  to  be  descended  from 
the  Ptolemies  of  Egypt,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  she  was  of  Jew- 
ish origin ;  and  she  is  said  to  have  professed  the  religion  of  Moses. 
She  was  well  acquainted  with  the  principal  languages  of  Asia  and 
Europe ;  she  was  skilled  in  the  leading  sciences  of  the  times,  and  so 
well  versed  in  affairs  of  state,  that  the  successes  of  her  husband,  Ode- 
natus,  are  generally  ascribed  to  her  counsels. 

3.  For  nearly  six  years  she  ruled  Syria  and  Mesopotamia,  dis- 
charging all  the  duties  of  an  excellent  sovereign  and  an  intrepid  com- 
mander. But  ambition  precipitated  the  ruin  of  Zenobia.  Not  satis- 
fied with  the  conquest  of  Egypt,  she  aspired  to  the  sovereignty  of 
Asia,  and  Aurelian  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  this  power"  which 
encroached  so  audaciously  upon  the  dignity  of  Rome. 

4.  On  his  march  through  Thrace,  the  emperor  fought  a  gieat  battle 
with  the  Goths.  He  pursued  them  across  the  Danube,  nnd  slew 
their  king.  After  this,  he  crossed  the  Hellespont  into  Asia,  and 
sncountered  the  forces  of  Zenobia  near  Antioch.  The  battle  was 
sanguinary  and  well  contested,  but  the  Romans  prevailed. 

5.  A  second  victory  enabled  Aurelian  to  besiege  Palmyra,  which 


CLXXI  —1    What  of  Aurelian  ?    2.  Zenobia?    3.  OfherambitiDul    1  Of  Aurelian 
<^ictoriMi    o,  6,  7.  Of  Palmyra? 


AURELIAN  — ZENOBIA. 


237 


the  vlaunvless  queen  defended  with  great  spirit  ai.d  res(»lution.  At 
length,  finding  there  was  no  hope  of  succor,  she  attempted  secretly 
to  make  her  escape  into  Persia,  but  was  betrayed  by  her  servants, 
and  made  prisoner.  Palmyra  surrendered,  but  after  Aurelian  had 
taken  possession  of  the  city,  garrisoned  it,  and  begun  his  ma'ch  for 
Rome,  the  inhabitants  revolted,  and  put  the  Roman  garrison  to  the 
bword 


Zenobia. 

6.  Aurelian  marched  backward  without  delay,  took  Palmyra  bv 
b  orm,  and  gave  it  up  to  pillage  and  massacre.  The  unfortunate 
inhabitants  were  put  to  the  sword,  without  regard  to  age  or  sex  ; 
torrents  of  blood  were  shed  ;  the  wealth  of  the  citizens  became  the 
prey  of  a  greedy  and  cruel  soldiery  ;  the  temples  were  robbed  of  their 
splendid  ornaments,  and  nothing  but  havoc,  massacre  and  devastation, 
was  seen  in  this  devoted  city. 

7.  This  catastrophe  was  the  final  ruin  of  Palmyra,  and  the  splendid 
papital  of  Zenobia  fell  from  its  ancient  power  and  magnificence,  never 
to  rise  again.  Its  ruins  in  the  midst  of  the  Syrian  desert  now  excite 
the  admiratH)n  of  the  traveller  by  their  beauty  and  grandeur. 


/ 


238 


DEATH  OF  AURtLlAN 


chapterTclxxiij 

Death  of  Aurelian. 

1.  Scarcely  had  the  revolt  of  tlie  Palmjrrc  nians  been  quelled, 
when  Aurelian  was  again  called  upon  to  exercise  his  arms  against  an 
insurrection.  The  troops  in  Egypt  rebelled ,  but  the  celerity  of  Aure- 
lian's  march  disconcerted  this  movement,  which  otherwise  miglit  have 
been  formidable.  The  rebels  were  speedily  conquered,  and  the  em- 
peror, having  thus  suppressed  all  the  troubles  of  the  east,  determined 
to  recover  Gaul,  Spain,  and  Britain,  which  had  for  thirteen  yeara 
been  the  prey  of  different  usurpers. 

"2.  A  single  campaign  restored  these  provinces  to  the  empire,  and 
Aurelian,  returning  to  Rome,  was  honored  with  the  most  magnificent 
triumph  that  the  city  had  ever  beheld.  Far  more  honorable  to  him, 
however,  was  his  generous  treatment  of  his  captives.  A  suitable 
estate  was  granted  to  Zenobia  and  her  children,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Rome,  and  the  captive  queen,  reconciling  herself  to  her  lot,  became 
a  respectable  Roman  matron.  Her  daughters  were  married  inio  fam- 
ilies of  distinction,  and  the  race  was  not  extinct  at  the  downfall  of 
the  empire. 

3.  The  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Aurelian  was  disturbed  by  a  vio- 
lent insurrection  at  Rome,  occasioned  by  the  debasing  of  the  coinage. 
The  imperial  troops,  which  attempted  to  drive  the  insurgents  from 
the  Ccelian  Hill,  were  routed,  with  ilie  loss  of  several  thousand  men 
But  by  great  exertions  the  insurrection  was  quelled. 

4.  The  emperor  punished  the  authors  of  this  revolt  with  such 
severity  as  to  bring  upon  him  the  general  dislike  of  the  citizens. 
He  withdrew  from  the  capital,  and  amused  himself  with  a  canjpaign 
in  Gaul,  where  some  disturbances  had  broken  out.  He  then  marched 
to  Vindelicia,  which  he  restored  to  the  empire  ;  but  he  abandoned  the 
province  of  Dacia  to  the  barbarians,  withdrawing  all  the  Roman 
garrisons  that  had  been  stationed  beyond  the  Danube. 

5.  The  sternness  of  Aurelian's  disposition,  and  the  inflexible  se- 
verity with  which  he  exercised  his  authority,  led  finally  to  his  destruc- 
tion. While  he  was  preparing  to  march  against  the  Persians,  he 
discovered  an  act  of  peculation  committed  by  Mnestheus,  one  of  his 
secretaries.  As  the  emperor  had  sentenced  his  own  nephew  to  death, 
and  the  judgment  was  rigidly  executed,  the  guilty  functionary  could 
indulge  no  hope  of  escaping  ^he  vengeance  of  his  master. 

6.  By  a  forged  writing,  Mnestheus  caused  a  number  of  persons  to 
believe  that  they  had  been  marked  for  destruction  by  tiie  emperor,  and 
thus  induced  thttr  to  join  in  a  plot  to  take  iiis  life.  On  the  march  to 
Byzantium,  Aurelian  was  attacked  by  the  cons{)irdtors,  who  slew 
him  with  innumerable  wounds,  A.  D.  275.  But  the  fraud  was  soon 
discovered,  and  the  soldiers,  who  were  fondly  attached  to  their  gen- 
eral, tore  the  assassins  to  pieces. 

CLXXII.  — 1.  What  look  place  in  Egypt?  2.  Of  Aure'ian's  triumph?  3,4  Whal 
r»Tolt  happened  at  Rome ?    5,6.  How  did  Aurelian  die? 


TACITUS  — PROBUS. 


239 


CHAPTER  jQTVKyTTLl 

Tacitus,  —  Prohus, 

1.  The  soldiers  of  Aurelian,  after  this  act  of  vengeance,  exhibited 
tn  unaccountable  moderation  and  respect  for  the  laws.  Instead  of 
raising  one  of  their  number  to  the  imperial  dignity,  they  quietly  sub- 
mitted the  election  to  the  senate.  The  wretched  fate  of  the  thirty 
tyrants  appears  to  have  operated  as  a  check  to  that  reckless  ambition 
which  marked  the  character  of  almost  every  Roman  general,  and  not 
one  of  them  on  this  occasion  stepped  forward  to  seize  the  imperial 
purple. 

2.  A  tranquil  interregnum  of  more  than  half  a  year  ensued,  and 
at  lenjjth  the  senate  made  choice  of  M.  Claudius  Tacitus,  a  descend- 
ant  of  the  historian  of  that  name.  Being  in  his  seventy-fifth  year,  he 
refused  the  dangerous  honor,  and  retired  to  his  farm  in  Campania,  to 
avoid  the  importunities  of  the  Romans.  The  necessities  of  the  state, 
however,  induced  him  to  yield. 

3.  This  emperor  was  a  pattern  of  temperance,  moderation,  and 
impartiality.  He  paid  great  attention  to  the  morals  of  the  people. 
He  patronized  literature,  and  ordered  ten  copies  of  the  works  of  his 
ancestor  to  be  transcribed  every  year,  with  great  care  and  accuracy, 
to  supply  the  public  libraries. 

4.  He  also  distinguished  himself  as  a  warrior,  and  drove  back  the 
barbarians,  who  had  made  an  irruption  into  Asia  Minor.  But  the 
fatigues  of  war  proved  too  much  for  his  feeble  age,  and  he  died  in 
Cappadocia,  after  a  reign  of  seven  months. 

5.  Florian,  the  brother-in-law  of  Tacitus,  was  proclaimed  emperor 
by  one  portion  of  the  army,  and  Probus,  a  Pannonian,  by  another. 
The  party  of  the  latter  proved  the  stronger,  and  Florian,  finding  him 
Belf  deserted  by  his  friends,  opened  his  arteries,  and  bled  to  death. 

6.  Probus,  now  undisputed  master  of  the  empire,  marched  into 
Gaul,  which  had  been  invaded  by  the  barbarians  of  Germany.  He 
defeated  them  in  several  battles,  in  which  four  hundred  thousand  of 
them  were  left  dead  upon  the  field.  From  Gaul  he  passed  into  Thrace, 
where  he  overthrew  the  Goths.  In  Asia  Minor  he  subdued  the  in- 
surf^ent  Isaurians,  and  divided  their  lands  among  his  veteran  soldiers. 

7.  Alarmed  at  these  victories,  Varanus,  king  of  Persia,  sent  ambas- 
sadors to  solicit  peace,  and  submitted  to  the  terms  dictated  by  the 
emperor.  ThretJ  rebel  emperors,  who  started  up  in  different  provinces, 
were  next  subdued. 

CLXXfll.  —  1.  What  happened  on  the  death  of  Aurelian?     2,3.  Of  Tacitus?     4 
Whal  t:ecaiK.e  of  him?    5.  Florian?    6    Probus?    7.  Varaaui? 


5J40 


UARUS,  CaRINUS,  AND  NU.MERIAN. 


DIOCLESI  AN  -  GALERIUS  -  CONSTANTIUS. 


24 


CHAPTER  CLXXIV. 


Car  us  y  CarinuSj 


Nume^k 


1.  The  Goths  and  Vandals,  hoping  to  find  their  advantaire  in  these 
insurrections,  again  invaded  the  empire.  Probus  took  the  field  against 
them,  and  drove  them  back  to  their  native  wilds.  After  this  he  de- 
voted himself  to  the  arts  of  peace.  He  encouraged  the  inhabitant? 
\j{  Gaul  and  Illyricum  to  plant  vines,  and  he  restored  seventy  cities 
which  had  fallen  into  decay,  in  different  parts  of  the  empire. 

2.  Having  passed  through  his  native  city  of  Sirmium,  Probus 
employed  several  thousands  of  his  soldiers  in  draining  a  fen  in  its 
neighborhood,  by  cutting  canals  to  the  sea.  The  troops,  disliking 
this  labor,  mutinied,  and  Probus  was  attacked  by  them  near  an  iron 
tower  which  he  had  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  watching  their 
operations. 

3.  The  emperor  made  his  escape  into  the  tower,  but  having  none 
of  his  guards  with  him,  he  was  overpowered  and  murdered  by  the 
soldiers,  A.  D.  282.  Both  his  friends  and  enemies  lamented  his  loss. 
The  soldiers  repented  of  their  crime,  and  assisted  in  raising  a  stately 
monument  to  his  memory. 

4.  Carus,  the  commander  of  the  Praetorian  Guards,  was  proclaimed 
emperor  by  the  army,  and  this  choice  was  confirmed,  with  some  re- 
luctance, by  the  senate.  The  new  emperor  bestowed  the  title  of 
Caesar  on  his  two  sons,  Carinus  and  Numerian,  the  former  of  whom 
was  one  of  the  most  depraved  young  men  of  the  time,  and  the  lattei 
Dne  of  the  most  virtuous. 

5.  Carinus  obtained  a  brilliant  victory  over  th<'  Sarmatians,  and 
would  have  carried  the  war  into  their  own  country,  had  he  not  been 
called  away  by  a  new  invasian  of  the  Persians.  He  marched  into 
Mesopotamia,  where  he  defeated  these  latter  enemies,  and  pursued 
\hem  to  the  gates  of  Ctesiphon. 

6.  The  emperor,  however,  did  not  live  to  complete  his  victories  by 
the  capture  of  the  city.  He  was  killed  by  lightning  in  his  tent,  along 
with  a  number  of  his  attendants,  A.  D.  283.  The  distress  of  Nume- 
rian, who  had  accompanied  his  father  in  this  expedition,  was  so  great 
that  he  brought  on  a  disease  of  his  eyes  by  excessive  weeping,  and 
was  obliged  to  be  carried  in  a  close  litter,  on  the  return  of  the  army 
from  Persia. 

7.  Aper,  his  father-in-law,  conceiving  the  design  of  seizing  the 
empire,  hired  an  assassin  to  murder  him  in  his  litter.  In  order  to 
conceal  the  deed,  he  announced  that  Numerian  was  unable  to  bear 
the  light,  and  the  deception  was  kept  up  till  the  odor  of  the  dead 
corpse  discovered  the  treachery  of  Aper.  An  uproar  was  immedi- 
ately excited  in  the  army.  Dioclesian  was  immediately  proclaimed 
rmperor  by  the  soldiers,  and  with  his  own  hands  put  the  assassin  to 
death. 

CT^XXIV.  —  1.  What  of  the  Goths  and  Vandals  ?  2.  What  were  the  deedn  of  Pr<»bu.-j  ? 
3.  How  did  he  die  ?  4.  Who  succeeded  him  ?  5.  6.  What  of  Caniai  7.  8.  Of  Aper  anJ 
Numerian  ?  >  , 

/ 


/ 


CHAPTERYTLXXg 
Dioclesian,  —  Galerius.  —  Constantius, 

1.  Dioclesian  began  his  reign  A.  D.  284.  This  epoch  is  some 
rimed  regarded  as  the  beginning  of  a  new  era,  called  the  "  era  of 
martyrs."  The  observance  of  this  point  of  time  long  prevailed  in 
the  Christian  church,  and  it  is  still  used  by  the  Copts,  the  Abyssinians, 
and  the  other  African  Christians. 

2.  The  troubles  of  the  empire  appeared  too  great  for  one  ruler, 
and  Dioclesian  selected  as  a  colleague  Maximian,  a  brave  and  skilful 
soldier,  but  also  an  ignorant  and  ferocious  barbarian.  His  military 
talents  were  soon  called  into  use  by  the  invasions  of  the  barbarians, 
whom  he  defeated  in  several  campaigns. 

3.  A  brief  interval  of  tranquillity  was  followed  by  new  and  more 
alarming  disturbances  in  almost  every  part  of  the  empire.  The  two 
sovereigns,  in  great  alarm,  resolved  on  a  further  division  of  authority. 
Each  chose  an  associate  and  successor.  Dioclesian  took  Galerius. 
and  Maximian  made  choice  of  Constantius  Chlorus.  A  division  of 
the  empire  followed.  Dioclesian  retained  Asia,  Galerius  received 
Thrace  and  Illyricum,  Maximian,  Italy  and  Africa,  and  Constnntius 
Gaul,  Spain,  and  Britain. 

4.  Dioclesian  -obtained  many  signal  successes  over  the  Persians 
but  his  triumph  was  sullied  by  a  general  persecution  of  the  Christians, 
which  lasted  ten  years,  and  surpassed  all  that  had  preceded  it  in 
severity.     Dioclesian  and  Maximian  resigned  the  empire  on  the  same 
day,  A.  D.  305. 

5.  Dioclesian  survived  this  act  nine  years,  and  never  regretted  the 
loss  of  his  throne.  When  Maximian  and  others  wrote  to^him  advis 
ing  him  to  resunie  the  purple,  he  replied,  *'  If  you  could  see  the 
cabbages  I  raise  in  my  garden,  you  would  not  ask  me  to  take  a 
throne  !"  Dioclesian  was  the  first  Roman  emperor  that  wore  a  dia- 
dem, and  the  last  that  enjoyed  a  triumph. 

6.  Galerius  and  Constantius  became  emperors  by  the  abdication. 
They  divided  the  empire  between  them,  Galerius  taking  the  east 
and  Constantius  the  west.  Within  a  ^ear  the  latter  died,  at  York, 
in  Britain,  leaving  as  his  successor,  Coastantine,  his  son,  afterwards 
entitled  the  Great. 

7.  From  the  time  of  the  elevation  of  this  prince  to  the  throne,  he 
wavered  between  paganism  and  Christianity.  He  had  at  first  some 
competitors  for  the  sovereign  authority  of  the  west.  Among  them 
was  Maxentius,  who  was  at  that  time  in  possession  of  Rome.  Con- 
•^tantine  took  up  his  march  for  Italy,  with  an  army  of  nearly  one 
hundred  thousand  men,  and  advanced  almost  to  the  gates  of  Romei 

8.  Maxentius  went  out  of  the  city  to  meet  him,  with  a  force  nearly 


CLXXV,— 1.  What  of  the  epoch  of  Dioclesian?  2,  What  coUengue  did  lie  choose? 
3.  \\  hat  further  division  of  authority  was  made?  4.  Of  persecution?  Of  the  rt'.signa- 
lion  of  the  (mpeiors?  5.  What  reply  was  made  hy  Dioclesian?  6.  Of  Oakrius  and 
Constantius?     7.  What  was  the  character  of  Constantine ?    8.  Of  Maxentius? 


242 


CONSTANTLSE  THE  GREAT. 


double.  The  battle  was  fierce  and  bloody,  but  at  leiifrth  the  Praetoriai 
Guards,  upou  whom  Maxentius  chiefly  relied,  were  broken  and  cut  tc 
pieces  by  repeated  charges  of  the  Gallic  horse.  Maxentius  hiuisell 
was  drowned  in  the  Tiber,  while  attempting  to  make  his  escape  ovei 
the  Milvian  bridge. 


c  H  APTE  R^;^txxv£;\ 

Constantine  the  Greaf 


,    ; ._    .t^     -X 


Constantine. 

1.  Constantine,  now  master  of  Rome,  removed  the  great  source 
of  the  calamities  which  had  befallen  that  city,  by  disbanding  the 
Prajtoiian  Guards.  He  restored  the  authority  of  the  senate  and  mag- 
istrates, recalled  all  those  who  had  been  banished  by  Maxentius,  and 
dismissed  the  wholp  tribe  of  spies  and  informers.  He  revoked  the 
edicts  which  had  been  issued  against  the  Christians,  and  paid  great 
respect  to  the  bishops  and  clergy. 

2.  In  the  mean  time,  by  the  death  of  Galerius,  and  the  overthrow 
uf  Maximian,  his  associate,  the  empire  of  tie  east  had  passed  into 


CLXXVl.  —  1.  What  were  Conslantine's  first  acts  7    2   What  of  Lichiius  1   3.  Cour. 


CONSTANT  .\E  THE  GREAT. 


o 


41) 


the  hands  of  Licinius,  who  was  a  zealous  champion  of  pnuariism. 
These  rivals  were  soon  engaged  in  a  struggle  for  tlie  superiority;  but 
at  lenglli  Licinius,  being  defeated  in  two  severe  battles,  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Nicomedia.  and  put  to  death,  A.  D.  324. 

3.  Constantine  became  thus  sole  master  of  the  Roman  empire. 
During  his  reign  the  controversies  in  the  church  led  to  the  convocation 
of  the  celebrated  Council  of  Nice,  A.  D.  325,  in  which  the  doctrin* 
of  the  trinity  was  fixed  and  defined,  the  heresy  of  Arius  condemned 
and  the  spiritual  supremacy  of  the  emperor  virtually  acknowledged 
When  the  labors  of  this  assembly  terminated,  Constantine  returned 
to  the  western  provinces,  and  paid  a  visit  to  Rome,  where  he  vv;i& 
received  in  a  manner  by  no  means  flattering. 

4.  The  populace  loaded  him  with  insults  and  execrations  for  aban- 
doning the  religion  of  his  forefathers.  His  rage  at  this  insulting 
treatment  i-?  said  to  have  greatly  influenced  him  in  removing  the  seat 
of  government  from  Rome  to  Byzantium.  At  the  same  time  he  was 
liarassed  by  domestic  troubles.  Instigated  by  the  Empress  Fausta,  he 
put  his  eldest  son,  the  virtuous  Crispus,  to  death,  without  a  trial,  and 
when  too  late  he  discovered  his  error,  he  caused  Fausta  and  her  ac- 
complices to  be  slain. 

5.  These  horrid  deeds  aggravated  his  unpopularity  among  the  Ro- 
mans ;  but  he  no  longer  regarded  their  displeasure,  having  finally 
resolved  to  give  a  new  capital  to  tlie  empire.  For  this  purpose  he 
made  choice  of  Byzantium  on  the  Thracian  Bosphorus,  a  place  with 
a  magnificent  harbor,  open  to  the  commerce  of  the  Black  Sea  and 
the  Mediterranean. 

6.  Here  Constantine  built  a  new  city,  A.  D.  330,  on  a  plain  rising 
gently  from  the  water,  and  commanding  the  strait  which  serves  as  the 
communication  between  two  great  seas.  Enormous  sums  were  spent 
in  embellishing  the  new  metropolis,  which  was  divided  into  fourteen 
regions,  and  adorned  with  a  capitol,  amphitheatre,  splendid  palaces, 
churches,  and  other  public  buildings. 

7.  This  city  received  the  name  of  Constantinople ;  and  its  long 
r  rosperity,  and  the  invincible  resistance  which  it  otfered  to  its  barbarian 
aggressors  for  a  thousand  years,  show  how  admirably  sagacious  was 
the  choice  of  its  founder. 

6.  The  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  completed  the  change 
in  the  Roman  constitution,  which  had  been  commenced  in  the  reign  of 
Dioclesian  ;  it  became  a  simple  despotism,  whh  more  of  a  political 
than  of  a  military  character.  After  he  had  fixed  his  residence  in  the 
new  capital,  Constantine  adopted  oriental  manners. 

9.  He  affected  the  gorgeous  attire  of  the  Persian  monarchs,  deco- 
rated his  head  with  false  hair  of  different  colors,  and  with  a  diadem 
covered  with  pearls  and  gems.  He  substituted  flowing  robes  of  silk, 
eml)roidcred  with  flowers,  for  the  austere  garb  of  Rome,  or  the 
unadorned  purple  of  the  first  emperors.  He  filled  his  palace  with 
spies  and  parasites,  and  lavished  the  wealth  of  the  emi)ire  upon  state-j 
ly  architecture.  y^ 

cil  01  Nice?  4.  How  was  Conslaniine  received  at  Rame?  How  did  he  hehave?  5  Wha; 
ntw  designs  diil  he  meditate?  6,  7.  What  of  the  building  of  Consiaiiliiioi^e?  8.  Hov? 
did  this  atTect  the  Roman  constitution  ?  9.  What  of  Constantine'a  manners,  dress,  kc  7 
10.  Of  Christianity  ?     1 1.  Of  the  death  of  Constantine  ? 


244 


THE  SONS  OF  CONSTANTIXK 


UOXS'IAIVS  -JULIAIS    THE   APOSTATK. 


245 


10.  Under  Coiistantine,  Christianity  became  the  established  reh^ioi. 
of  the  em[)ire  ;  yet  the  emperor  himself  was  hardly  a  Christian.  I'p 
to  the  age  of  forty  he  liad  continued  to  make  a  public  profession  ol 
paganism,  although  he  had  long  favored  the  Christians.  His  devotion 
u'as  divided  between  Jesus  and  Aj)ollo,  and  he  adorned  the  temples 
of  the  pagan  gods,  and  the  altars  of  the  new  faith,  with  equal  ofTerinos. 

11.  Hut  as  he  advanced  in  age,  his  confidence  in  the  Christians 
increp^ed,  and  he  gave  up  to  them  the  (education  of  his  children. 
When  he  felt  the  attacks  of  the  disease  which  terminated  his  life,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-three,  he  was  formally  received  into  the  church  and 
baptized.     He  expired  at  Nicomedia,  A.  D.  337. 


\ 


CHAPTER  fcLXXVIl. 


-i 


The  Sons  of  Constantine. 

1.  At  the  death  of  Constantine,  the  Roman  empire,  by  his  direc- 
tions, was  ordered  to  be  divided  among  his  three  sons  and  two  nephews 
Constantine  H.,  the  eldest  son,  received  Gaul,  Spain,  and  Ikitain. 
To  Constantius,  the  second  son,  were  allotted  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  and 
Egypt,  and  to  Constans,  the  youngest,  Italy,  lllyricum,  and  Africa. 
Beside  this  division,  Constantine  had  bequeathed  other  countries  to  his 
nephews,  Dalmatius  and  Hannibalianus,  but  the  senate  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  this  part  of  his  vvill. 

2.  The  three  sons  of  Constantine  had  been  educated  with  the 
greatest  care.  The  most  pious  of  the  Christian  teachers,  the  most 
celebrated  professors  of  the  Grecian  [)hilosophy  and  Roman  jurispru- 
dence, had  been  engaged  to  superintend  their  instruction.  But  the 
princes  resembled  their  mother  Fausta  more  than  their  illustrious 
father. 

3.  Before  they  had  emerged  from  boyhood  they  were  successively 
invested  with  the  title  of  Caesar,  and  intrusted  with  a  share  in  the 
government.  Such  injudicious  indulgence  necessarily  surrounded 
them  with  a  crowd  of  flatterers,  and  exposed  them  to  the  corrupt 
adulations  of  a  court. 

4.  Constantius  was  near  the  capital  when  his  father  died.  He 
hastened  to  take  possession  of  the  palace,  but  his  kinsmen  being  ap- 
prehensive of  his  jealous  temper,  compelled  him  to  take  an  oath  to 
protect  them  from  danger.  A  few  days  afterwards  a  forged  scroll 
made  its  appearance  through  the  hands  of  the  celebrated  Eusebius. 
the  bishop  of  Nicomedia. 

5.  This  purported  to  be  a  document,  signed  by  the  late  emperor, 
accusing  his  brothers  of  having  poisoned  him,  and  calling  upon  hiy 
Bons  for  vengeance.  The  soldiers,  who  were  secretly  prepared  to 
second  this  atrocious  and  incredible  charge,  loudly  demanded  the 
punishment  of  the  accused. 

CLXXVII.  —  I.  What  division  did  Conslanline  make  of  the  empire  ?  2,  3.  What  of 
his  I  hie  1  sons?  4.  Of  Consianlius  ?  fi.  Of  ihe  forgery  7  6  The  massacre  '  "^  H:»vi 
wvis  ihe  empire  next  diviiied  )     8.  Wliat  of  Con^jtans  and  Constantine? 


^  All  kgai  forms  were  violated,  and  a  promiscuous  massacre  was 
made  of  tbe  Flavian  family.  Gallus  and  Julian,  the  youngest  son? 
of  Julius  Constantius,  were  with  difliculty  concealed  till  the  rage  of 
the  assas.sins  had  subsided.  A  division  of  the  whole  empire  was'  then 
made  by  the  princes. 

7.  The  eldest  took  po.ssession  of  Constantinople:  the  secotd  re- 
ceived Thrace  and  the  Asiatic  provinces ;  the  west  was  assigned  lo 
ConsiJins.  The  eldest,  however,  not  contented  with  his  own  por- 
tion, inviided  the  dominion  of  Constans,  and  made  himself  master  of 
several  towns  in  Italy. 

9.  Constans  took  the  field  against  his  brother,  and  Constantine, 
having  fallen  into  an  ambuscade  near  Aquileia,  was  cut  olf  with  his 
whole  army.  His  body  was  tiirowr  into  a  river,  but  w;is  afterwards 
found,  and  cdrried  to  Constantinople  for  interment.  ./ 


CHAPTEJl  Gb 


Constans.  —  Julian  the  Apostate. 

1.  Constans  retained  undisturbed  possession  of  the  western  emphe 
for  ten  years ;  but  bis  indolence  having  brought  him  into  contempt 
with  the  army,  Magnentius,  a  German,  revolted  against  him.  The 
emperor  fled  into  Spain,  but  was  pursued  and  put  to  death  at  a  little 
village  among  the  Pyrenees. 

2.  Constantius,  in  the  mean  time,  was  engj  ged  in  a  war  with  the 
Persians.  Having  terminated  this  successfully,  he  found  occupation 
for  his  armies  in  the  west,  where  several  usurpers  had  started  up. 
Nepotian,  a  nephew  of  Constantine  the  Great,  made  himself  master 
of  Rome,  and  committed  great  slaughter  among  the  inhabitants.  He 
was  overthrown  by  Marcellinus,  the  prime  minister  of  Magnentius. 

3.  Other  revolutions  followed,  the  particulars  of  which  would  be 
little  instructive  or  amusing  to  the  reader.  Constantius  raised  his 
cousin  Gallus  to  the  rank  of  Caesar,  and  overthrew  Magnentius  at  the 
battle  of  Mursa,  in  Pannonia.  The  tranquillity  which  followed  was 
of  short  duration.  The  empire  was  disturbed"^  by  irruptions  of  the 
barbarians  of  the  north,  and  by  the  tyrannical  conduct  and  cruelties 
of  Gallus,  who,  at  the  instigation  of  his  wife,  filled  the  provinces 
with  bloodsned. 

4.  Constantius  at  length  put  him  to  death,  and  raised  his  cousin 
Julian  to  the  dignity  of  CaRsar.  Though  this  young  man  had  devoted 
himself  principally  to  literature,  yet  he  exhibited  the  greatest  bravery 
and  skill  lus  a  soldier.  Constantius  appointed  him  governor  of  Gaul, 
and  gave  him  his  sister  Helena  in  marriage. 

5.  Julian  began  his  march  for  Gaul,  and  having  come  up  with  an 
army  of  barbarians  in  a  thick  wood  between  Auxerre  and  Troyes,  he 
defijated  them  with  great  slaughter.  He  next  overthrew  a  host  of 
Germans,  advanced  to  Cologne,  repaired  its  f'  rtifications,  and  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Sens,  in  Gaul. 


CLXXVIII. —  I.  What  of  Cop.stans  and  Magnentius?    2  Nepotian?    a  Gallus    Mas- 

21* 


'//- 


1 


\ . 


< 


§. 


A 


246 


JLLIAiN  THE  APOSTATE. 


6.  Here  he  was  besieged  by  the  barbarians  fur  nearly  a  month,  bui 
forced  ihem  to  retire.  He  then  drove  the  enemy  out  of  their  retreats 
in  the  islands  of  the  Rhine,  defeated  a  great  army  eoinmanded  by 
seven  kings,  near  Strasburg,  and  effected  the  complete  pacif)calion  o<" 
the  country. 


Julian 

7.  Julian  was  in  his  thirty-second  year,  when,  by  the  death  of  bis 
cousin,  A.  D.  361,  he  became  sole  emperor.  He  had  been  educated 
a  Christian,  but  he  abandoned  that  religion  for  pagafiism,  and  by  that 
steji  acquired  in  history  the  surname  of  the  Apostate.  Vanity  was 
strongly  marked  in  his  character ;  he  chose  to  be  regarded  as  a  phi- 
losopher rather  than  as  a  sovereign. 

8.  To  acquire  that  title,  he  thought  fit  to  disregard  some  of  the 
common  decencies  of  life.  A  treatise  is  still  extant  from  his  pen,  in 
which  he  expatiates  with  singular  complacency  on  the  fi'thy  state  of 
his  beard,  the  length  of  his  nails,  and  the  inky  Idaoknessof  his  hands, 
as  if  cleanliness  were  inconsistent  with  the  philosophic  character. 


nenlius,  aiul  the  barbarians? 
Miy  ?    8.  His  writings  ? 


4      ulian  1    5,  €.  The  war  in  Gaul  ?    7.  Of  Julian's  apo» 


DEATH  OF  JULIAN. 


247 


r.HAPTEjTU^XlX.l 

Death  of  Julian. 

1.  In  every  other  respect  the  conduct  of  Julian  merits  high  praise 
Me  was  just,  mercii'ul,  and  tolerant.  Though  frequently  urged  tc 
become  a  persecutor,  he  allowed  his  subjects  that  freedom  of  opinion 
which  he  claimed  for  himself.  IJut  though  Julian  would  not  inflict 
punishment  for  a  difference  of  opinion,  he  enacted  several  disqualify- 
ing laws,  by  which  he  labored  to  deprive  the  Christians  of  wealth, 
knowledge,  and  power.  He  ordered  their  schools  to  be  closed,  and 
he  jealously  excluded  them  from  all  civil  and  miHtary  offices. 

2.  In  a  war  against  the  Persians,  Julian  advanced  triumphantly  as 
far  as  the  Tigris ;  but  the  enemy,  though  defeated  in  the  field,  adopt- 
ed a  means  of  defence  more  terrible  to  an  invader  than  arms.  They 
laid  waste  the  country,  destroyed  the  villages,  and  burnt  the  crops,  in 
the  line  of  march  pursued  by  the  Romans." 

3.  A  burning  sun  weakened  the  powers  of  the  western  veterans, 
and  when  famine  was  added  to  the  severities  of  the  climate,  their  suf- 
lerings  became  intolerable.  With  a  heavy  heart,  Julian  at  length 
gave  orders  for  a  retreat,  and  led  his  exhausted  soldiers  back  over  the 
desert  plains  which  they  had  already  passed  with  so  much  difficulty. 

4.  But  the  march  of  the  Romans  was  greatly  impeded  by  the  light 
cavalry  of  the  Persians,  who  hovered  round  their  flanks  and  rear, 
discharging  showers  of  darts  and  arrows,  but  retreating  whenever  an 
attempt  was  made  to  bring  them  to  a  genera]  engagement. 

5.  At  length  the  rear  guard  of  the  Romans  was  thrown  into  disor- 
der by  a  charge  of  the  enemy.  Julian  flew  to  its  succor,  with  no 
other  defensive  anus  than  his  buckler.  The  Persians  were  put  to 
flight,  but  the  emperor  was  struck  by  an  arrow.  As  he  tried  to  draw 
it  out,  another  pierced  his  fingers.  He  fell  from  his  horse,  fainting 
and  bathed  in  blood,  and  was  carried  to  his  tent,  where  he  expired 
the  same  night,  A.  D.  363. 

6.  The  name  of  Apostate  has  sullied  the  character  of  this  emperor, 
yet  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  he  was  taught  Christianity  by  a 
prince  who  was  the  murderer  of  his  relatives,  and  that  his  dislike  of 
that  religion,  under  such  circumstances,  was  quite  natural. 

7.  Notwithstanding  his  vanity  and  paganism,  Julian  had  many 
bhining  qualities.  He  did  not  directly  persecute  the  Christians, 
Ihough  he  did  much  to  injure  them  and  their  cause.  He  attempted 
to  rebuild  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  restore  the  Jewish  worship ; 
hut  in  this  design  he  is  said  to  have  met  with  a  most  extra  »rdinary 
obstacle.  A  miraculous  explosion  of  fire  from  beneath  the  ounda- 
tions  of  the  temple  destroyed  the  workmen,  and  put  a  stop  to  the 
whole  undertaking.  Many  critical  writers,  however,  question  the 
truth  of  this  story. 


Cl.XXIX.  —  1.  What  waa  the  character  of  Julian '.'  2  Of  the  Persian  war?  3,4. 
What  misfortune  happened  to  the  Romans  ?  5,  How  did  J»'lian  die  ?  6.  Of  his  a})ostacjr ' 
T.  Of  his  attempt  to  rebuild  the  temple  of  Jerusalem? 


t>48       VALKNTINIAN  AND  VALENS.  —  DIVISION  OF  THE  EMPIRfc. 


CHAPTER   CLXXX. 

Va/entiniati  and  Valens.  —  Division  of  the  Empire, 

1.  On  the  death  of  Julian,  the  army  unanimously  raised  to  the  eni 
pire,  Jovian,  a  Pannonian,  who  bore  the  reputation  of  an  able  peneial 
Having  been  educated  a  Christian,  he  at  first  declined  the  charge,  or. 
the  ground  that  the  peeple  whom  he  was  called  to  govern  had  relapsed 
ii.to  idolatry.     But  when  the  soldiers  assured  him  that  they  preferred 
(/hristianity,  his  scruples  were  overcome. 

2.  The  army  was  now  in  extreme  distress ;  a  famine  niged  in  tiic 
camp  to  such  a  degree  that  every  man  would  have  perished  had  not 
the  Persians  made  offers  of  peace.  Though  the  terms  were,  on  thp 
\vhol'\  disadvantageous,  they  were  willingly  accepted. 

3.  The  first  edict  of  Jovian  was  a  repeal  of  Julian's  disqualifying 
laws  respecting  the  Christians ;  at  the  same  time  he  calmed  the  fears 
of  his  pagan  subjects  by  a  wise  edict  of  toleration,  in  which  le  pro- 
hibited no  rites,  however  idolatrous,  except  those  of  magic. 

4.  These  judicious  measures  at  once  showed  how  ineflk  lual  had 
been  the  etTorts  of  Julian  to  revive  the  fallen  spirit  of  paganism. 
The  heathen  temples  were  immediately  deserted,  the  sacrifices  neg- 
lected, and  the  priests  left  alone  at  their  altars.  Those  persons,  who, 
to  gratify  the  former  sovereign,  had  assumed  the  dress  and  title  of 
philosophers,  were  assailed  by  such  storms  of  ridicule,  that  they  laid 
aside  the  designation,  shaved  their  beards,  and  were  soon  undistin- 
guished in  the  general  mass  of  society. 

5.  Jovian  did  not  long  survive  this  peaceful  triumph  of  Christianity. 
On  his  journey  toward  Constantinople,  he  slept  in  a  damp  room,  which 
his  attendants  heated  with  charcoal.  The  emperor  was  suffocated  by 
the  vapor,  and  found  dead  in  his  bed,  A.  D.  3G4. 

6.  For  ten  days  after  the  death  of  Jovian,  the  Roman  world  re- 
mained without  a  sovereign.  At  length  Valentinian  was  chosen  by 
the  council  of  ministers  and  generals,  and  the  army  acquiesced  in 
their  decision.  The  new  emperor  divided  his  dominion  with  his 
brother  Valens,  to  whom  he  assigned  the  eastern  provinces,  reserv- 
ing to  himself  Italy,  Gaul,  Spain,  Britain,  Africa  and  Illyrieum. 

7.  The  emperor  of  the  west  established  his  court  at  Milan,  the 
eastern  emperor  resided  at  Constantinople.  This  division  of  the 
empire  was  so  manifestly  required  by  the  necessities  of  the  times, 
that  all  parties  readily  acquiesced  in  the  arrangement.  The  annals 
of  the  Byzantine  empire  from  this  period  form  a  separate  history, 
although  the  two  governments  had  occasional  connections  for  a  few 
years  afterwards. 

8.  Valentinian  displayed  his  military  skill  against  the  barbarians 
t)f  Africa  and  Gaul,  and  those  on  the  banks  of  the  Hhine  and  Danube. 
The  Quadi  sent  ambassadors  to  sue  for  peace,  but  the  empercr  up- 
braided tht?ln  for  their  conduct,  and  wl?ile  speaking  with  great  warmtli, 


CLXXX.  —  1.  Who  succeedetl  Julian  1    2.  '  Vhal  of  the  ar-iy  7    3,  4.  What  was  th 
SonducL /f  Jjvian  in  regard  lo  relieio-^  7    5,    Jow  did  Jovian  die?    6    Who  succecde 


'P:.  :■ 


< 


GRAJ   \N. -IN    ASION  OF  THE  HUNS. 


245 


\ 


he    urst  a  blood-vessel  and  fell  upon  the  ground,  whcie  he  expired, 
A.  J).  375. 

0  The  reign  of  Valens  iii  the  east  was  disturbed  by  revolts,  which 
were  aided  by  the  Goths;  but  these  were  repressed.  Valei.s  perse- 
cuted the  orthodox  clergy;  and  a  dej)utation  of  eighty  of  these  being 
sent  to  remonstrate  with  him,  he  ordered  them  to  be  put  to  death. 
The  person  who  was  charged  v;ith  this  odious  duty,  dreading  a  pop- 
ular commotion,  put  them  all  on  board  a  ship,  and  when  it  was  at 
some  distance  from  the  shore,  the  sailors  set  it  on  fire,  and  escaped 
in  their  boats. 

10.  Valens  also  persecuted  those  who  professed  to  be  magicians, 
and  all  who  had  books  of  magic  in  their  possession.  People  of  all 
ranks  burnt  tlieir  libraries,  lest  their  enemies  might  have  secretly 
introduced  such  works  into  them.  I 

1 1 .  The  Goths,  after  committing  great  ravages  in  Macedonia  .:>^  V 
and  Thessaly,  advanced  toward  Constantinople.  A  sanguinary 
battle  was  fought  at  Adrianople,  in  which  the  Romans  were  com- 
pletely overthrown.  The  emperor  escaped  ^rom  the  field  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  and  took  refuge  in  a  hut,  which  was  set  on 
fire  by  the  enemy,  and  Valens  was  burnt  to  death,  A.  D.  378.  In 
the  mean  tune,  Gratian,  the  son  of  Valentinian,  had  succeeded  his 
father  in  the  west.  By  the  death  of  Valens  he  became  master  of  the 
whole  Roman  world.  x) 


CHAPTER  CLXXXI, 


lU'ie^ 


Gratian,  —  Invasion  of  the  Hu 


V 


i/    v^Nw 


1.  Both  the  eastern  and  western  empires  w^ere  beginning  to  enjoy 
'lie  sweets  of  repose,  when  a  people  more  barbarous  and  ferocious 
Jiian  any  previously  known  appeared  on  the  north-eastern  frontiers. 
These  were  the  Huns,  who  came  from  that  vast  region  of  central 
Asia  comprised  between  the  river  Irtish,  the  Altaian  Mountains,  the 
great  wall  of  China,  and  Mantchoo  Tartary. 

2.  Their  persons  are  represented  by  the  historians  of  that  day  as  a 
frightful  caricature  of  humanity ;  their  faces  were  more  like  lumps  of 
flesh  than  a  composition  of  intelligent  features.  Their  deformed 
shapes  may  have  been  caused  in  some  degree  by  their  strange  custom 
of  flattening  the  nose  of  their  male  infants  as  soon  as  they  were  born, 
in  order  that  the  vizor  which  they  wore  in  battle  should  fit  closer  to 
the  face.  They  had  also  the  custom  of  ph  eking  out  the  beard  as 
soon  as  it  began  to  grow. 

3.  They  lived  on  flesh  either  entirely  raw,  or  sodden  by  being  placed 
under  their  saddles  when  riding  at  a  heavy  gallop.  Their  Hfe  was 
devoted  to  war  and  hunting ;  they  left  the  cultivation  of  their  fields  to 
the  women  and  slaves.     They  built  no  cities,  and  erected  no  houses. 

him?    7.  Haw  was  the  empire  divided?    8.  What  of  Valentinian?    9,  10.  Of  Valen? 
*nd  hid  persecutions  ?     11.  The  Goths  ?    How  did  Valens  die  ? 
UJUUU.  --  1.  What  of  the  Huns  ?    2,  3.  How  are  they  describe*!  ^    4.  Wh?t  of  • 


N 


2J0 


THEOnOSlUS  THE  GREAT. 


A.  place  Jr a r rounded  by  walls  they  looked  upon  as  a  sepulchre,  and 
they  never  believed  themselves  in  safety  beneath  a  roof. 

4.  About  the  commencement  of  the  second  century,  the  southern 
Huns,  aided  by  the  Chinese  and  the  eastern  Tartars,  expelled  theit 
noithern  brethren  from  their  ancient  habitations,  and  compelled  them 
to  seek  refuge  in  the  Territory  of  the  Bakshirs.  Here  they  were 
brought  into  contact  with  the  Alans,  whom  they  gradually  drove  be- 
fore them,  being  pressed  forward  themselves  by  fresh  hordes  from  the 
east,  until  they  took  possession  of  the  places  between  the  Volga  and 
the  Dv^n. 

5.  Being  now  joined  by  the  Alans,  and  other  barbarous  tribes  whom 
ihey  had  conquered,  the  Huns  crossed  the  latter  river  with  their  in- 
numerat»le  cavalry,  and  swept  the  rich  fields  of  the  Ostrogoths.  The 
latter  were  defeated,  and  at  length  the  greater  part  of  the  nation  aban- 
doned tl  e  country,  and  retired  behind  the  Dnieper  and  Dniester.  The 
Huns  mide  a  horrible  carnage  of  all  who  remained,  sparing  neither 
women  ror  children. 

G.  The  conquerors  soon  passed  the  Dniester,  and  intlicted  the  same 
calahiities  on  the  Visigoths.  The  whole  Gothic  nation  was  now  re- 
duced to  despair  ;  their  warriors,  who  had  so  often  maintained  a  fierce 
struggle  against  the  Roman  legions,  now  appeared  as  suppliants  on 
the  banks  of  the  Danube,  begging  for  permission  to  cultivate  the 
waste  lar.ds  of  Thrace. 

7.  This  request  was  granted,  on  condition  that  they  would  resign 
their  arms.  But  the  officers  who  were  sent  to  see  this  stipulation 
enforced  were  bribed ;  the  Goths  retained  their  weapons,  which  they 
regarded  as  the  means  of  obtaining  more  valuable  possessions  than 
those  which  they  had  lost. 


CHAPTER  pTXXXH. 

Theodosius  the  Great. 


1.  Gratian  assumed  Theodosius  as  his  partner  in  the  empiie,  and 
assigned  him  the  provinces  which  Valens  had  governed.  By  his  skill 
and  experience  in  war,  this  prince  obtained  many  splendid  victories 
over  the  barbarians.  He  defeated  the  Goths  in  Tlirace,  and  captured 
four  thousand  of  their  chariots,  with  an  immense  number  of  prisoners. 

2.  He  also  gained  the  good-will  of  this  nation  by  his  equitable  and 
moderate  conduct,  and  they  resolved  never  more  to  molest  the  Ro- 
mans, but  guarded  the  banks  of  the  Danube  to  prevent  any  invasion 
of  the  empire  from  that  quarter.  Gratian,  being  a  zealous  Christian; 
displayed  his  enmity  to  paganism  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cause  a  re- 
rolt.     He  w;is  defeated  and  slain  near  Paris,  A.  D.  383. 

3.  Maximinus,  who  was  at  the  head  of  this  insurrection,  becamo 


Chinese,  Tartars.  Alans,  Ac?    5.  Of  the   invasion  of  the  Huns?    6,  What  was  iha 
:ondi;ion  of  the  Gothic  nation  ? 
CLXXXII.  —  I.  W^hal  of  Gratian  and  Thetwlosius?    2.  What  became  of  Gratian* 


THEODOSIUS  THE  GREAT. 


251 


eniperur  of  the  west ;  but  in  a  few  years  he  was  overthrown  by  Tliec»- 
d(»sius,  aud  put  to  rieath.  The  city  of  Alexandria,  in  Egypt,  was  ai 
this  time  disturbea  by  tJie  unimosities  of  tlie  Christians  and  i»agai)s. 
The  Kilter  havinir  attacked  their  opponents.  Theodosius  resolved  to 
(/unish  them  severely. 


Theodosius. 

4.  He  ordered  all  the  pagan  temples  in  that  city  to  be  thrown  down, 
and  on  his  return  to  Constantinople  he  completed  his  design  by  com- 
(nandinjr  all  the  heathen  temples  throughout  the  empire  to  be  destroyed 
His  persecutions  were  directed  with  equal  zeal  against  the  Christians 
who  ditfered  from  him  in  opinion,  and  he  ordered  the  Arians  to  be 
expelled  from  every  city  in  the  empire. 

5.  Valentinian  II.,  the  emperor  of  the  west,  laving  placed  too  much 
^•onfidence  in  his  general,  Arbogastes,  a  native  of  Gaul,  was  treach- 
erously murdered  by  him  at  Vienne,  in  that  C(umtry.  The  traitor 
might  have  seized  upon  the  throne,  but  instead  of  this  he  invested 
witli  the  purple  Eugenius,  one  of  the  imperial  secretaries,  ai  I 
reigned  in  his  name. 

C.  He  sent  deputations  to  Theodosius,  but  the  latter  refused  tt 
enter  into  any  negotiations  with  the  usurper,  aud  made  preparations 
for  w-ar.     Having  raised  a  powerful  army,  he  crossed  the  Alps,  and 

3.  What  ')f  Maximinus?    4.  Of  tlie  persecutions  of  Theodosius ?    5.  What  of  Valen 


252 


AKCADIUS  A\U  HONORIUS. 


l-Hfi   DRITONS. 


2o:\ 


encjuntonu   the  forces  of  Ei  genius  on   the  banks  of  tlie  Wibach 
The   usurper  was  d3feated,  nnd  his  own  soldiers  cut  off  his  head 
while  he  was  be^ffing  for  his  life  before  Theodosius. 

7.  Arbo^astes  fled  into  the  mountains,  where  he  committed  suicide 
His  children,  with  those  of  Eugenius,  took  retujje  in  the  churches. 
Theodosius  granted  them  a  pardon,  restored  to  them  their  paternal 
estates,  and  raised  them  to  honorable  stations  in  the  government. 

8.  In  consequence  of  this  victory,  Theodosius  became  master  of 
the  whole  Roman  world.  But  he  was  well  aware  that  the  division 
of  the  empire  into  east  and  west  had  now  become  a  permanent  neces- 
sity. He  therefore,  by  his  will,  appointed  Arcadius,  his  elder  son, 
emperor  of  the  east,  and  Honorius,  the  young^er,  emperor  of  the  west. 
Shortly  after  making  this  arrangement,  as  he  was  prepanng  to  return 
to  Constantinople,  he  was  attacked  by  a  dropsy,  at  Milan,  and  Hird  in 
that  city,  A.  D.  395. 


CHAPTER   CLXXXHI. 

Arcadius  and  Honorius. 

1.  The  memory  of  their  father's  virtues  protected  the  feeble  youth 
of  Arradius  and  Honorius.  Stilicho,  a  general  of  superior  abilities, 
and  a  statesman  of  profound  wisdom,  acted  as  the  guardian  of  Hono- 
rius. He  was  descended  from  the  perfidious  race  of  the  V'andals,  and 
possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  cunning,  treachery,  and  crutdty 
that  characterized  his  nation. 

2.  Rufinus,  who  possessed  all  the  bad  qualities  of  Stilicho,  with- 
Hit  his  redeeming  virtues,  administered  the  government  of  the  east, 
inder  Arcadius.     The  ministers  of  the  two  empires  liated  each  other 

most  cordially,  and  each  secretly  sought  to  remove  his  rival. 

3.  A  Gothic  leader  of  the  Roman  troops,  named  Gainas,  who  was 
supposed  to  act  from  the  instigation  of  Stilicho,  put  Rufinus  to  death. 
Arcadius  chose  for  his  new  minister,  Eutropius,  one  of  his  servants, 
and  Gainas  now  declared  himself  the  determined  enemy  of  his  former 
general. 

4.  The  national  hatred  between  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans  was 
excited  by  the  rival  ministers,  and  thus,  at  a  moment  when  a  close 
union  was  necessary  to  prevent  ruin,  the  subjects  of  Arcadius  and 
Honorius  were  induced  to  regard  each  other  not  only  as  foreigners, 
but  as  enemies. 

5-  The  Goths,  who  had  remained  quiet  during  the  reign  of  Theo- 
dosius, disdained  submission  to  his  unwarlike  successors.  On  pretence 
that  the  subsidy  prudently  paid  them  by  the  late  emperor  was  with- 
held, they  raised  the  standard  of  revolt,  and  chose  for  their  leadei 


linian  and  Arbogasles?    6.  What  was  the  fate  of  Eugenius?   7.  Or  Arbogaslc??  8.  How 
liid  Thftodosuia  divide  tho  empire  ? 

CLXXXlIl.—  l.  What  of  Arr^dius  and  Honorius?  Of  Stilicho?  2.  01  Slufir.us? 
1.  Ot  (Jamas  and  Euiropiua  ?  4.  Of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  i  5.  The  Goths  )  Aiaric  I 
6    Whdt«  <■  his  invasion  of  Greece?     7.  What  of  Suhcho  and  Alaric  J 


Aiaric,  the  most    formidable  enemy  that  the   R(  mans  had  hitherto 
encountered. 

6.  Agaric,  instead  of  confining  his  depredations  to  the  northern 
provinces,  which  were  already  wasted  by  frequent  incursions,  resolved 
to  invj,.do  (Greece,  where  the  din  of  arms  had  not  been  heard  for  cen- 
turies. The  barbarians  encountered  little  or  no  resistance.  The 
memorable  pass  of  Thermopyla?  was  abandoned  by  its  garrison,  and 
the  Goths  ravajjed  the  whole  country  without  opposition. 

7.  The  Greeks,  unable  to  piotect  themselves,  sought  the  aid  of 
Stilicho,  and  that  great  leader  hastened  to  their  assistance.  He  in- 
flicted a  severe  defeat  on  the  Goths,  but  soon  learnt  that  the  court  of 
( Constantinople  had  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Aiaric.  Stilicho 
returiied  to  Italy,  while  the  eastern  emperor,  with  incomprehensible 
folly,  nominated  the  Gothic  leader  Mast^^-vjeneral  of  Eastern  Illy- 
ricum. 


CHAPTER   CLXXXIV. 

The  Britons, 


1.  From  the  time  when  the  barbarians  established  themselves  in  all 
•»arts  of  the  empire,  this  vast  portion  of  the  world,  heretofore  subject 
to  the  levelling  influence  of  a  despotism  which  had  broken  down  all 
distinctions  and  all  diflferences,  now  presented  the  wildest  assemblage 
of  dissimilar  manners,  opinions,  languages,  religions,  and  govern- 
ments. In  spite  of  the  habits  of  servility  which  were  hereditary 
among  the  subjects  of  the  empire,  their  subordination  was  broken  up  ; 
the  law  no  longer  reached  them ;  oppression  or  protection  no  longer 
emanated  from  Rome  or  from  Constantinople. 

2.  The  supreme  power,  in  its  impotence,  had  called  upon  them  1 
govern  themselves ;  and  ancient  national  manners,  ancient  local  opii. 
ions,  began  to  reappear  under  the  borrowed  garb  of  Rome.  But  this 
strange  medley  of  provincialisms  was  nothing  compared  to  that  intro- 
duced by  the  barbarians,  who  had  pitched  their  camps  in  the  midst  of 
Roman  cities,  and  whose  kings  were  constantly  intermingled  witli 
senators  and  with  bishops. 

3.  At  one  extremity  of  the  Roman  dominions,  the  island  of  Britain 
escaped  from  the  power  which  had  civilized  but  enervated  it.  Stili- 
cho had  withdrawn  the  legions  from  it  for  the  defence  of  Italy.  The 
usurper  Constantine,  who  had  revolted  against  Honorius  between  the 
years  407  and  411,  and  who,  after  reducing  Britain,  had  attempted 
the  conquest  of  Gaul,  led  thither  all  the  soldiers  who  still  remained 
in  the  island. 

4.  After  he  was  defeated,  and  his  head  sent  to  Ravenna,  Honorius 
did  not  choose  to  deprive  himself  of  any  portion  of  his  troops  for  the 
defence  of  so  remote  a  province ;  he  wrote  to  the  cities  of  Britain  as 


\ 


CLXXXIV.  —  1.  What  of  the  establishment  of  the  IjarUrians  in  the  empire?    2.  f 
♦he  supreme  power?    3.  Of  Stilicho  and  Constaniine  in  P  ttaiii  ?    A.  How  did  Honom 


9:^ 


254 


THE  BRITONS 


if  they  already  formed  an  independent  conludeialion,  and  exhorted 
them  to  provide  for  their  own  defence. 

5.  Fourteen  of  these  cities  were  considerable ;  several  had  already 
made  great  progress  in  arts  and  commerce,  and,  above  all,  in  that 
Koman  luxury  winch  so  rapidly  tamed  and  deadened  the  fiercest 


:ouraore. 


0.  London  was  a  large  and  flourishing  town ;  but,  amon^r  its  nu- 
merous inhabitants,  not  one  was  found  who  dared  to  take  up  arms. 
Its  municipal  government,  established  on  the  Roman  system,  like 
Jiose  of  York,  Canterbury,  Cambridge,  &c.,  would  have  given  th^ni 
the  advantages  of  a  republican  administration,  if  they  had  preserved 
a  little  more  public  spirit;  but  the  poison  of  a  foreign  domination  had 
sapped  the  vital  energies  of  the  country. 

7.  It  is  in  the  country,  and  not  in  the  towns,  that  we  must  look  for 
the  first  symptoms  of  the  revival  of  a  national  feeling.  The  Celtic 
language,  which  was  almost  extinct  in  Gaul,  had  been  preserved  in 
britain,  — a  proot  that  the  rural  population  was  not  utterly  crushed. 

8.  It  seems  that  the  rich  proprietors,  the  ]3ritish  senators,  were 
aware  that  their  security  and  their  power  depended  wholly  on  their 
union  with  the  people  ;  it  is  probable  that  they  lived  in  the  midst  of 
their  peasantry,  and  learned  their  language  ;  at  all  events,  we  find 
their  reappearuig  under  British,  and  not  under  Roman  names,  in  that 
str  gg\e  which  they  were  soon  called  upon  to  sustain  with  the  Picta 
a- J  bcots,  and,  at  a  later  period,  with  the  Saxons. 

9.  The  condition  of  Armorica,  or  Britanny,  was  nearly  similar, 
jothinthe  nature  of  its  population,  which  had  likewise  preserved 
the  Celtic  language  and  manners,  and  in  its  remoteness  from  the  cen 
tre  of  the  empire.     The  Armorican  cities  also  formed  a  league  whicK 
raised  a  sort  of  miiitia  for  their  own  defence,  and  inspired  some  rt 
spect  up  to  the  time  of  the  Frankish  invasion. 

10.  The  vigor  of  the  fierce  Osismians,  who  inhabited  the  western 
coast  of  Britanny ;  their  courage,  their  agility,  their  attachment  to 
then-  hereditaiy  chieftains,  recalled  to  the  rest  of  the  Gauls  what  their 
fathers  had  been.  They  resembled  those  mountaineers  of  Scotland 
whom  Sir  Walter  Scott  has  so  admirably  depicted,  such  as  thev 
remained  scarcely  more  than  half  a  century  ago. 

11.  In  spite  of  the  prohibitory  laws  of  Augustus  and  Claudius, 
many  of  them  adhered  to  the  primitive  worship  of  tbe  gods  of  the 
Druids ;  those  atrocious  divinities,  whose  altars  were  buried  in  the 
depths  ot  forests,  and  stained  with  human  blood.  Others  had  em- 
braced Christianity,  and,  during  four  centuries,  they  furnished  a 
great  number  of  saints  to  the  church  of  Rome. 

12.  So  long  as  the  British  heroes,  such  as  Hoel,  Allan,  Judicael 
(to  whom  several  churches  were  dedicated,)  retained  the  vigor  of' 
youth  or  manhood,  they  knew  no  other  passion  than  ti.at  fo,-  war  • 
they  poured  down  by  night  on  the  nearest  Roman  or  (ia-ilish  villages,' 
which  they  pillaged  and  burned  ;  but,  when  their  ferocity  was  tamed 
l)y  age,  and  began  to  give  place  to  the  terrors  of  a  future  judgment, 
Ihey  shut  themselves  up  in  convents,  and  lived  a  life  of  the  severest 
penance. 


COM.]ijcttoward.s  the  Britons?    T,.  The  British  cities?    6.  London?     7.  The  Cell  c,  Ian 
fUH-e?    ft.   The  Bniislj  senator!*  ?     «J.  Armorica?     10.  The  Osismians  ? 


rHK  FtlANKS,   BURGUNDIANS,    AND  ViSRiOTllS. 


255 


CHAPTER^'^^XXVr 

The  Franks^  Burgundians^  and  Visigoths, 

1.  The  Franks  had  begun  to  cross  over  from  the  eastcirn  to  tie 
i/estern  bank  of  the  Rhine,  and  had  made  some  settlements  in  Bel- 
gium ;  but.  faithful  to  their  alliance  with  the  empire,  which  had  made 
the  greatest  exertions  and  sacrifices  to  presence  their  friendship,  thei^ 
everywhere  appeared  in  the  character  of  soldiers  of  the  emperors , 
their  numerous  petty  sovereigns  solicited  imperial  dignities ;  their 
highest  ambition  was  to  rise  at  the  court  of  the  s)ns  of  Theodosius : 
and  they  had  learned  how  to  combine  the  arts  of  intrigue  with  valor. 

2.  They  oppressed  and  despoiled  the  peasantry  upon  whom  they 
.vere  quartered  ;  in  a  sudden  burst  of  fury,  or  in  a  fit  of  rapacity, 
they  attacked  large  cities ;  even  Treves,  the  capital  of  all  the  Gauls, 
and  Cologne,  the  chief  town  of  Lower  Germany,  were  on  several 
occasions  pillaged  by  them.  But  the  emperors  and  their  prefects 
were  too  sensible  of  the  importance  of  their  Frankish  allies  to  cherish 
long  resentment,  and  peace  was  soon  concluded  at  the  expense  of  the 
defenceless  sufferers. 

3.  The  Burgundians  in  eastern,  and  the  Visigoths  in  southern  Gaul, 
also  called  themselves  the  soldiers  of  the  emperors.  Their  condition 
was,  however,  very  different  from  that  of  the  Franks ;  the  entire 
nation  had  transmigrated  into  a  new  abode,  without  acknowledging 
any  fixed  limits  ;  it  had  extended  its  dominion  wherever  it  could  make 
its  power  feared. 

4 .  The  king  of  the  Burgundians  sometimes  held  his  court  at  Yiennc 
on  the  Rhone,  sometimes  at  Lyons  or  Geneva  ;  the  kings  of  the  Visi- 
goths at  Narbonne,  at  Bordeaux,  or  oftener  at  Toulouse  ;  the  city 
was  subject  to  them,  yet  Roman  magistrates  still  continued  to  regu- 
late the  police,  and  to  administer  justice  according  to  Roman  laws, 
and  in  favor  of  Roman  subjects. 

5.  The  Visif»oths  and  the  Burgundians  had  appropriated  lands  either 
waste,  or  taken  from  the  original  proprietors  without  many  formali- 
ties ;  these  were  abandoned  to  their  flocks  and  herds,  or  occasionally 
cultivated  by  their  slaves ;  but  negligently  and  without  any  outlay 
which  must  await  a  tardy  return.  They  chose  to  be  ready  to  quit  the 
fields  they  had  sown,  the  next  year,  if  needful. 

6.  The  two  nations  had  not  yet  taken  root  in  the  soil.  The  Visi- 
goths sometimes  passed  over  from  Aquitaine  into  Spain  ;  the  Bur- 
gundians from  the  banks  of  the  Rhine  to  those  of  the  Moselle.  The 
habits  of  a  wandering  life,  confirmed  by  half  a  century,  could  not  be 
broken  through  at  once  :  all  the  Visigoths  were  Christians,  but  of 
tfie  Arian  sect,  as  were  also  the  Burgundians.  The  bishops  hated 
heresy  far  more  than  paganism. 

CLXXXV.  —  i.  What  of  the  Franks  in  the  empire  ?  2.  Of  their  ravages  and  oppres 
•ion?  3.  1  he  Bur2'in(]ians  ?  4.  The  Burj^ndian  and  Visigoihic  kir^s?  5.  Tiieir  or 
eupation  rf  the  lauds?    6.  Their  wandering  habits? 


2H} 


THE  BARBARIAN  GOVEKNMKNl'S. 


chapterTlxxxvl] 

The  Barbarian  Governments. 

1.  NtVF.RTHKLEss,  the  priests  understood  too  well  when-'  the 
power  of  the  sword  lay,  to  dispute  the  authority  ol"  these  harbaric  kinp^s, 
as  they  had  lately  disputed  that  of  the  emperors.  At  Toulouse  and 
at  A' ienne,  they  paid  their  court  conjointly  with  the  senators  ;  the 
prelates,  in  all  the  pomp  of  their  ecclesiastical  ornaments,  and  thu 
senators,  still  wearing  the  once  awe-inspiring  toga,  mingled  with  the 
rude  warriors  whom  they  hated  and  despised,  but  whose  favor  they 
sought  and  gained  by  dexterous  flattery. 

2.  The  same  form  of  civil  administration  still  subsisted.  A  praMo 
rian  prefect  still  resided  at  Treves;  a  vicar  of  the  seventeen  Gallic 
provinces  at  Aries ;  each  of  these  provinces  had  its  Roman  duke , 
each  of  the  hundred  and  fifteen  cities  of  Gaul  had  its  count  ;  each 
city  its  curia,  or  municipality.  But,  collaterally  with  this  Romau 
organization,  the  barbarians,  assembled  in  their  mollum^  or  parlia- 
ment, of  which  their  kings  were  presidents,  decided  on  peace  and 
A^ar,  made  laws,  or  administered  justice. 

3.  Each  division  of  the  army  had  its  Graf  Jarl,  or  count;  each 
subdivision  its  centenary,  or  hundred-man  ;  and  all  these  fractions  of 
the  free  population  had  the  same  right  of  deciding  by  suflVagie,  in 
»heir  own  mallums,  or  peculiar  courts,  all  their  common  afl'airs.  In 
cases  of  opposition  between  the  barbarian  and  the  Roman  jurisdic- 
tion, the  overbearing  arrogance  of  the  one,  and  the  abject  basen*  sa 
of  the  other,  soon  decided  the  question  of  supremacy. 

4.  In  some  provinces  the  two  powers  were  not  concurrent ;  the  re 
were  no  barbarians  between  the  Loire  and  the  Meuse,  nor  betwe  lu 
the  Alps  and  the  Rhone  ;  but  the  feebleness  of  the  Roman  govern 
ment  was  only  the  more  conspicuous.  A  few  great  proprietors  cul- 
tivated a  part  of  the  province  with  the  aid  of  slaves  ;  the  rest  w  is 
desert,  or  only  inhabited  by  Bagaudae,  runaway  slaves,  who  lived  ly 
robbery. 

5.  Some  towns  still  maintained  a  show  of  opulence,  but  not  one 
gave  the  slightest  sign  of  strength  ;  not  one  enrolled  its  militia,  n  »r 
repaired  its  fortifications.  Tours,  renowned  for  the  tomb  of  St.  Mar- 
tin, and  the  miracles  attributed  to  it,  appeared  to  be  a  capital  of  priesti» , 
nothing  waf  to  be  seen  within  its  walls  but  processions,  churches, 
chapels,  and  books  of  devotion  exposed  for  sale. 

6.  Treves  and   Aries  had  not  lost  their  ancient  passion  for  the 
games  of  the  circus,  and  the  crowd  could  not  tear  themselves  from 
the  theatre  when  the  barbarians  were  at  their  gates.     Other  towns 
and  especially  the  villages,  remained  faithful  to  their  ancient  godo ; 
and,  spite  of  the  edicts  of  successive  emperors,  many  temples  we/e 


CLXXXVI.  —  1.  How  did  the  priests  conduct  toward  the  <nrbarian  kinirs  ?    2.  Of  th 
poveriimeiit  of  the  barbarians?     3.  The  army  and  counts       4.  How  wa^  the  count,  f 
l)el ween  the  Loire  and  the  Meuse?    5.  What  of  Tours ?    (    Treves,  Aries,  ftnd  otltcra* 
*'  Of  Honorius  ia  southern  Gaul? 


SPAIN,   THE   VANDALS  AND  ALAN.. 


257 


^tllI  coi:secraicd  to  Paganism  ;  many  continued  so,  even  to  the  end  ol 
the  sixth  century. 

7.  Hon  on  us  wished  to  confer  on  the  cities  of  southern  Gaul  a  diet, 
at  which  they  might  have  deliberated  on  public  affairs  ;  but  he  did  not 
even  find  public  spirit  enough  to  accept  the  ollered  privilege.  It  is 
true  that  they  suspected,  and,  probably,  not  witliout  reason,  that  his 
edict  concealed  some  projects  of  financial  extortion. 


V 


\ 


Spai?i,  the  Vandals  and  Alani, 

1.  The  description  we  have  given  of  the  state  of  Gaul  applies 
equally  to  that  of  Spain,  where  the  kings  of  the  Suevi,  the  Vandals, 
the  Alans,  the  Silingi,  were  encamped  with  their  troops  and  their  fol- 
lowers in  the  midst  of  Roman  subjects,  who  had  long  ceased  to  offer 
resistance,  yet  whose  abject  submission  had  not  earned  for  them  the 
peace  of  slaves. 

2.  A  great  portion  of  Spain  was  still  Roman  ;  but  the  districts 
which  the  barbarians  had  not  yet  entered  had  no  communication  with 
rtach  other,  nor  with  the  seat  of  government;  they  could  hope  for  no 
protection  from  any  neighboring  aggression.  Besides,  if  the  barba- 
rians occasionally  plundered  them  with  rapacity,  or  even,  at  their  first 
coming,  butchered  the  inhabitants  most  exposed  to  their  fury,  they 
afterwards  protected  the  remaining  population  against  the  extortions 
of  tax-gatherers ;  and  the  demands  of  the  state  were  so  excessive 
that  the  people  often  preferred  the  sword  of  the  Vandal  to  the  staflf 

of  the  lictor. 

3.  Even  Italy,  which  was,  perhaps,  more  uncultivated  than  any  of 
the  distant  provinces,  —  Italy,  whose  richest  plains  were  disfigured 
by  wild  forests,  or  unwholesome  marshes,  —  was  not  exempt  from 
the  barbarian  yoke.  Although  no  longer  occupied  by  a  conqueror, 
she  found  hard  masters  in  the  confederates,  or  auxiliary  troops  of 
Germans  and  Scythians,  of  which  the  armies  were  almost  entirely 

composed. 

4.  Their  tyranny,  which  was  that  of  the  sword,  did  not,  however, 
preserve  the  inhabitants  from  the  more  oppressive  power  of  the  Ro- 
rnan  magistrates.  Pannonia  and  the  banks  of  the  Danube  were  no 
sooner  evacuated  by  the  Goths,  than  they  were  occupied  by  other 
nations  of  barbarians. 

5.  The  Moors  and  the  Ga^tuli,  and  still  more  the  fanatical  Dona- 
tisls  and  Circoncellians,  two  sects  of  infuriated  heretics,  kept  Africa 
u  -x  continued  state  of  alarm.  In  short,  there  was  not  a  single 
province  of  the  western  empire  in  which  a  uniform  government  was 
maintained,  oi  in  which,  under  a  common  protection,  man  could  live 
securely  among  his  felbw-men. 


CLXXXVn.  — 1.  What  barbarian  nations  were  encamped  in  Spain?  2.  0<"  *^mMi 
i'\yMK\\  3.  What  was"  the  stale  of  Italy?  4.  Pannonia?  5.  Africa  ?  What  w«ts  lh« 
geneial  stata  of  the  western  empire  wi'h  respect  to  government  ? 

17 


!5b 


SEPARATION  OF  BRITAIN  FROM  THE  EAIPIKK 


CHAPTER  ^CLXXXyill. 

Separation  of  Britain  from  the  Empire, 

% 

1.  From  the  time  of  the  death  of  Ilonorius,  and  the  rcicall  c  the 
rast  of  the  Roman  lejrions  sent  to  defend  it,  we  have  hardly  hac  occa- 
sion to  mention  the  island  of  Britain,  which,  after  having  been  foi 
a  while  drawn  into  the  huge  vortex  of  the  world  of  Rome,  had  com- 
pletely escaped  from  it. 

2.  From  that  lime,  she  had  formed  a  world  apart,  severed  from  ihe 
rest  of  mankind,  a  stranger  to  the  hopes  and  the  fears  by  whicli 
Europe  was  agitated.  She  had  been  forgotten  by  the  other  former 
provinces  of  Rome,  with  which  she  had  been  associated  in  a  common 
dependence,  and  in  the  ten  books  of  the  Jlistory  of  the  Franks,  by 
Gregory  of  Tours,  not  a  single  British  name  occurs. 

3.  The  total  oblivion  into  which  Britain  had  fallen  among  the 
Greeks  is  still  more  extraordinary.  Two  centuries  and  a  half  aftci 
the  legions  of  Britain  had  given  to  the  empire  the  future  founder  of 
Constantinople  ;  one  century  only  after  the  final  recall  of  the  Romans ; 
Procopius,  the  first  historian  of  the  lower  empire,  consigns  Britain  to 
a  place  in  the  regions  of  prodigies  and  fables.  He  relates,  that  the 
souls  of  those  who  die  in  Gaul  are  nightly  borne  to  the  shores  of  that 
island,  and  delivered  over  to  the  infernal  powers,  by  the  boatmen  of 
Friesland  and  Batavia. 

4.  *'  These  boatmen,"  says  he,  **  see  no  one ;  but  in  the  dead  of 
night,  a  terrible  voice  calls  them  to  their  mysterious  office.  They 
find  by  the  shore  strange  and  unknown  boats  ready  to  sail ;  they  feel 
the  weight  of  the  souls  which  enter  them,  one  after  the  other,  till  the 
gunwale  of  the  boat  sinks  to  a  level  with  the  water.  Nevertheless, 
they  still  see  nothing.  The  same  night  they  reach  the  coast  of 
Britain.  Another  voice  calls  the  ghosts,  one  by  one,  and  they  land  in 
silence."  Such,  after  a  short  but  total  cessation  of  intercourse,  was 
the  only  notion  of  England  entertained  by  the  rest  of  mankind. 

5.  Britain,  however,  in  her  isolation,  had  shared  the  fate  of  the 
other  dismembered  portions  of  the  empire.  The  same  struggle  had 
arisen  between  the  barbarians,  and  those  who  had  caught  civilization 
from  their  Roman  masters.  But  neither  the  people,  nor  the  circum- 
stances which  brought  about  the  overthrew  of  the  continental  doinina- 
tion  of  Rome,  were  the  same  as  those  which  caused  the  destruction 
of  the  system  she  had  established  in  Britain. 

B.  If,  in  her  progress  from  ancient  to  modern  civilization,  through 
barbarism,  Britain  underwent  nearly  the  same  changes,  it  is  a  proof 
that  the  fate  of  Europe  was  the  consequence  of  internal  or:  mization 
tlie  operation  of  which  was  everywhere  the  same,  and  nc    >f  evenly 
which  varied  with  each  particular  country. 

CLXXXVIII.  —  I.  What  was  the  state  of  Britain  after  the  death  of  Honorius  ?  2.  O* 
Gregory  of  Tours?  3,  4.  What  does  Procopius  relate  of  Britain"?  5,  6.  Of  the  peopk 
af  Britain  ?    7.  When  was  Britain  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  world? 


STILICHO. 


fc> 


09 


7.  This  total  ocparation  of  Britain  from  the  rest  of  the  world  begins 
from  the  year  42(i  or  427,  the  supposr-d  date  of  the  departure  of  the 
tasl  Roman  legion  from  her  shores.  It  ends,  or  at  least  becomes  jess 
distinct,  frpm  the  time  of  the  coronation  of  Alfred  the  Greit,  in  872 


CHAPTER   CLXXXIX. 

Stilicho, 

1.  Stiliciio  was  soon  called  upon  to  defend  Italy  i  gainst  Alaric. 
who  forced  a  passage  over  the  Julian  Alps,  and  advanced  towaids 
Milan.  Ilonorius  lied  from  his  capital,  but  was  so  c.osely  pursucnl 
tliat  he  was  overtaken  and  besieged  in  Asta.  The  rapid  march  of 
Slilicho  saved  the  emperor,  and  the  Goths  were  defeated  on  the  same 
plains  where  Marius  had  overthrown  the  Cimbri. 

2.  Alaric,  having  rallied  his  shattered  forces,  moved  rapidly  toward 
Rome.  The  capital  was  saved  by  the  diligence  of  Stilicho,  biit  the 
departure  of  the  Goths  from  Italy  was  purchased  by  a  large  tribute. 
This  invasion  so  alarmed  the  timid  Honorius,  that  he  resolved  to  fix 
liis  residence  in  some  strong  fortress,  and  for  this  purpose  he  selected 
Ravenna,  on  the  Adriatic. 

3.  Before  Italy  had  recovered  from  the  terrors  ot  the  Gothic  inva- 
sion, a  new  horde  of  barbarians,  from  the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  swept 
over  Germany  and  Gaul,  and  crossed  the  Alps,  the  Po  and  the 
Apennines,  before  an  army  could  be  assembled  to  resist  them.  These 
consisted  of  a  mixture  of  Vandals,  Suevi,  Burgundians  and  Goths, 
under  the  conduct  of  Radagaisus,  a  more  formidable  enemy  even  than 

Alaric. 

4.  The  Goths  had  embraced  Christianity,  and  their  fierce  passions 
were  in  some  degree  moderated  by  the  mild  precepts  of  the  gospel. 
IJut  Radagaisus  was  a  stranger  to  any  religion  but  the  cruel  creed  of 
his  fiilhers,  which  taught  that  the  favor  of  the  gods  could  be  propi- 
tiated only  by  human  sacrifices. 

5.  The  wealtl)y  city  of  Florence  was  besieged  by  the  barbarians ; 
but  this  place,  being  well  garrisoned  and  provisioned,  held  out  till  the 
urrival  of  Stilicho,  who  again  earned  the  title  of  Deliverer  of  Italy. 
He  blockaded  the  army  of  Radagaisus,  and  compelled  the  besiegers 
to  surrender  at  discretion,  A.  D.  40().  The  barbarian  leader  was  put 
to  death,  and  his  followers  were  sold  as  slaves. 

6.  Those  of  the  hordes  who  were  not  involved  in  the  calamity  of 
Florence  fell  back  upon  Gaul,  and  laid  waste  that  province  from  the 
Riiine  to  the  Pyrenees.  The  provincials,  receiving  no  aid  from  the 
court  of  Ravenna,  proclaimed  Constantino,  the  governor  of  Britain, 
emperor.      Stilicho  entered    into  a  treaty  with  Alaric  against   the 


CLXXXIX  —1.  What  of  Stilicho  and  Honorius?     2.  Of  Marie's  marrh  to  R„n.e? 
3    What   new  horde   of  barbarians   invaded   the  enr-ire?      4    What   of  Uadairmsi.s 
5.  OftheRiet,'e  of  Florence?    6.  What  Ivjcame  of  Sti     ho?    7.  Whatof  Oiympiodorisi 
B    What  was  done  by  the  barbarian  soldiers  ? 


60 


ALARIC,   AITILA,   AND  GENSERIC. 


usurper  ;  but  before  it  could  be  carried  into  effect,  this  last  proai  penera 
of  the  Romans  was  treacherously  murdered  by  his  unwonhy  mastet, 
A.  I).  408. 

7.  Olympius,  a  miserable  favorite,  was  elevated  to  his  office.  The 
first  measure  of  the  new  minister  was  as  impolitic  as  it  was  monstrous. 
He  ordered  a  promiscuous  massacre  of  the  families  of  the  barbarians 
througliout  Italy,  instead  of  retaining  them  as  hostages  for  the  fidelity 
of  the  mercenary  cohorts. 

8.  The  cruel  edict  was  too  well  obeyed  ;  and  thirty  thousand  of  the 
bravest  soldiers  in  the  Roman  pay  invited  Alaric  to  head  them  in 
avenging  the  slaughter  of  their  wives  and  children.  The  Got  ha 
marched  immediately  into  Italy,  and,  disdaming  meaner  i»rizcSj  took 
their  course  directly  towards  Rome. 

L 


i 


y  CTAJ^ER  \CXC| 

Alaric,  Atiila,  and  Geiiseric, 


1.  Alaric  laid  siege  to  Rome  A.  D.  408,  and  would  have  ca|>- 
trred  the  city  had  not  the  emperor  complied  with  his  demand  for  u 
ransom.  This  consisted  of  five  thousand  pounds  of  gold,  thirty 
thousand  pounds  of  silver,  four  thousand  silk  garments,  three  thousand 
skins  dyed  purple,  and  three  thousand  pounds  of  pepper.  To  furnish 
these  materials,  the  temples  of  Rome  were  stripped  of  their  remaining 
ornaments,  and,  among  others,  of  the  statue  of  Valor,  which  the 
pagans  did  not  fail  to  interpret  as  a  presage  of  the  speedy  ruin  of  the 
state. 

2.  Alaric,  having  received  this  treasure,  departed  for  a  short  time, 
but  soon  returned,  captured  the  cjty,  and  gave  it  up  to  be  plundered 
by  his  soldiers.  The  churches,  however,  were  spared.  On  the  sixth 
day  after  the  capture,  the  Goths  evacuated  Rome  and  marched  to  the 
south. 

3.  Alaric  was  preparing  to  invade  Sicily,  when  he  was  attacked  by 
a  sickness  which  quickly  put  an  end  to  his  life.  His  body  was  interred 
in  the  bed  of  a  small  river  near  Cosenza,  and  the  captives  who  pre- 
pared his  grave  were  murdered,  that  the  Romans  might  never  know 
the  place  of  his  sepulture. 

4.  Honorius  died  A.  D  423.  His  nephew,  Valentininn  III.,  was 
declared  emperor  of  the  west,  under  the  guardianship  of  his  mother 
Placidia.  He  was  scarcely  seated  on  the  throne  when  the  empire 
was  invMded  by  the  Huns.  The  Romans  had  two  celebrated  gen- 
erals, ^]tius  and  Boniface,  who  by  their  union  might  have  saved  tho 
empire. 

5.  But  unhappily,  through  the  treachery  of  ^-Etius,  his  rival  was 
driven  into  a  revolt,  a  civil  war  ensued,  and  Boniface  lost  his  life. 


CXC.  —  1.  What  of  the  siege  of  Rome  by  Alaric  ?    2.  Of  its  cajMiire?    3.  Of  tlie  death 
'■i  Alaric?    4.  01  Honorius  and  Valeniinian?    5.  Of  ^ti us  and  Bon  face?    6.  Of  ib« 


■,L 


END  OF  THE   WESTERN   EIMPIKE. 


261 


/Eti  IS,  notwithstanding  his  treachery,  was  pardoned,  and  placed  \\ 
ihe  head  of  the  forces  of  the  empire. 

r>.  The  Huns,  under  Attila,  made  an  irruption  into  Gaul,  A.  3. 
451.  ^^^.tius  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  Visigoths,  aided  oy 
whom  he  ijained  a  great  victory  over  Attila  at  Chalons,  in  the  same 
year,  and  drove  him  beyond  the  frontiers  of  the  province.  But  in  the 
ensuing  spring  *he  Huns  poured  like  a  torrent  into  Italy,  and  laid 
waste  the  countrv. 

7.  The  death  of  Attila,  who  fell  a  victim  to  intemperance,  and  the 
civil  wars  among  his  followers,  delayed  the  utter  ruin  of  the  empire. 
But  the  murder  of  -^tius  by  the  ungrateful  Valentinian,  and  the 
unchecked  ravages  of  the  barbarians,  rendered  all  the  provinces  mis- 
erable. 

8.  The  Vandals,  under  Gens^nc,  ravaged  Africa  and  Sicily ;  the 
Goths,  Burgundians,  and  SueTi  had  taken  possession  of  Gaul  and 
Spain,  and  the  Britons  were  so  oppressed  by  the  Scots  and  Picts, 
that  they  were  obliged  to  call  in  the  Saxons  to  their  assistance. 

9.  Valentinian  was  assassinated  A.  D.  455,  by  the  patrician  Max- 
imus,  whose  wife  he  had  grossly  injured.  Maximus  immediately 
assumed  the  purple  ;  but  he  was  quickly  disgusted  with  the  cares  of  a 
throne,  and  wished  to  retire  to  private  life.  Being  dissuaded  from 
this  by  his  friends,  and  his  wife  dying  soon  after,  he  compelled 
Eudoxia,  the  widow  of  Valentinian,  to  marry  him.  This  woman 
in  revenge,  invited  Genseric  and  the  Vandals  into  Italy. 


CHAPTER 


ire.       t/ 


End  of  ihe  Western  Empire 

1 .  The  Vandal  army  besieged  Rome,  A.  D.  455.  A  violent  tumult 
arose  in  the  city,  and  Maximus  was  killed.  Rome  was  taken  and 
plundered  by  Genseric,  who  carried  off  what  had  been  left  by  the 
Goths.  A  ship  was  loaded  with  costly  statues,  the  tiling  of  the  cap- 
itol,  which  was  of  brass  plated  with  gold,  sacred  vessels  enriched  with 
precious  stones,  and  those  which  had  been  taken  by  Titus  out  of  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem,  all  of  which  were  lost  with  the  vessel  on  '\U 
passage  to  Africa. 

2.  By  the  influence  of  Theodoric,  king  of  the  Ostrogoths,  a  Gaul 
of  noble  family,  named  Avitus,  was  made  emperor.  But  he  was  soon 
deposed  by  Count  Ricimer,  the  commander  of  the  barbarian  auxil- 
iaries intrusted  with  the  defence  of  Italy,  and  Marjorian  put  in  his 
place. 

3.  This  emperor  was  also  dethroned  by  the  soldiery,  A.  D.  401 
Ricimer  then  chose  Severus,  one  of  his  own  adherents,  to  be  nominal 


Invasion  of  the  Huns  under  Attila  ?     7.  Of  the  death  of  Attila  and  ^tius  ?    8.  Of  Gen- 
fcric.  the  Vandals  and  Britons?     9.  Of  Valentinian  and  Maximus? 

CXCI.  —  1.  What  of  th3  sie^e  of  Rome  by  the  Vandals  ?     What  became  of  the  pi    %der 
of  Rome  t     2.  What  of  Theodoric  the  Ostrogoth?    Ricimer?     Marjorian?     c    The 


>62 


END  OF  THE  WESTERN  EMPIHK. 


emperor,  retaininrr  all  the  power  of  the  government  in  his  own  han<l» 
But  the  superior  strength  of  the  Vandals  compelled  him  to  liav<j 
recourse  to  the  court  of  Constantinople  for  aid. 

4.  Leo,  the  Byzantine  emperor,  a[)pointed  Anthemius  sovereign 
of  the  west,  and  sent  a  large  armament  against  the  Vandals  in  Africa. 
But  this  expedition  was  unsuccessful  ;  Anthemius  was  put  to  death, 
11 A  Olybrius  elevated  to  the  throne,  A.  D.  472. 

5.  Both  this   emperor   and   Ricimer  died   within   a  few  months 
Three  sovereigns.  Glycerins,  Nepos,  and  Orestes,  followed  witliii 
two  years.     The  latter  was  succeeded  by  Augustuhis,  the  last  Roman 
emperor  of  the  west.     This  prince  was  dethroned,  A.  D.  47(J,  by 
Odoacer,  the  chief  of  the  Heruli,  a  German  people. 

6.  He  sent  Augustulus  into  captivity  at  Naples,  assigning  him  a 
pension  for  his  support.  The  conqueror,  then  abolishing  tbe  name 
and  office  of  emperor,  took  the  title  of  King  of  Italy.  Such  was  the 
end  of  the  Roman  empire  in  the  west,  although  the  descendants  of 
Constantine  continued  to  hold  the  sceptre  of  the  east  tor  nearly  a 
thousand  years  longer. 

7.  This  great  catastrophe  was  accomplished  by  the  operation  of 
causes  which  had  been  slowly  at  work  for  many  hundred  years 
The  aggressive  warfare  of  the  early  Romans,  which  had  been  con- 
stantly extending  the  frontiers  of  their  dominion,  Mas  retaliated  u})on 
them  in  the  fourth  century  by  the  barbarians,  against  whom  they 
began  their  attacks. 

8.  The  emperors  could  no  longer  defend  the  provinces  which  fhey 
still  affected  to  rule ;  and  they  frequently  saw,  without  regret,  valiant 
enemies  become  their  guests,  and  occupy  the  desert  regions  of  their 
empire.  The  progress  of  luxury,  and  the  decline  of  the  military 
spirit,  contributed  to  hasten  the  decay  of  the  empire. 

9.  The  north  poured  down  upon  it  her  flood  of  warriors.  From 
the  extremity  of  Scandinavia  to  the  frontiers  of  China,  nation  after 
nation  appeared,  the  new  assailant  pressing  on  its  predecessor,  crush- 
ing it,  and  marking  its  onward  passage  with  blood  and  devastation. 
The  calamities  which  afflicted  the  human  race  exceed,  in  extent  of 
desolation,  in  number  of  victims,  and  in  intensity  of  suffering,  every- 
thing else  that  has  been  presented  to  our  affrighted  imagination. 

10.  We  cannot  calculate  the  millions  of  human  beinffs  that  perished 
before  the  downfall  of  the  Roman  empire  was  accomplished.     Yet  its 

uin  was  not  caused  by  the  barbarians  ;  it  had  long  been  corroded  by 
an  internal  ulcer.  The  decay  of  patriotism,  the  decline  of  military 
virtue,  and  the  extinction  of  the  national  spirit,  were  more  pernicious 
to  Rome  than  the  arms  of  Alaric  or  Attila. 


Vandals?  4.  Anthemius  and  Olybrius  ?  5.  Who  was  the  last  Roman  emperor  of  the 
west  ?  When  and  by  whom  was  he  deposed  ?  6.  What  l»ecame  of  Augustulus?  Whai 
title  did  Odoacer  assume?  7.  What  causes  led  to  the  i»verthrow  of  the  Roman  empire? 
i.  What  was  :he  condition  of  the  provinces?  9.  What  of  the  northern  warriors?  Of 
he  cilamiliea  of  this  period?     10.  What  were  the  general  caascs  of  the  fill  of  Rom  i1 


JJTERArURE  DURING  THE  THIRD  PERIOD. 


263 


CHAPTER  CXCII. 


hiieratuTe  and  Eminent  Men  during  the  Third  Perioa. 

1.  Thk  literature  of  the  republic  and  that  of  the  empire  are  not 
separated  by  any  wide  period  of  time,  but  their  difference  in  spirit  and 
taste  may  be  easily  distinguished.  Although  Cicero  died  during  the 
lifetime  of  Augustus,  his  genius  breathes  only  the  spirit  of  the  repub- 
lic ;  and  though  Virgil  and  Horace  were  born  citizens  of  the  com 
monwealth,  their  writings  bear  the  character  of  monarchical  influ- 
ence. 

2.  The  Augustan  age  has  become  proverbial  in  the  history  of 
letters.  Never  was  there  a  time  in  which  men  of  learning  and 
talents  ^ere  so  rewarded  and  encouraged  by  statesmen,  politicians, 
and  generals,  as  that  which  grateful  posterity  has  stamped  with  the 
name  of  Augustus. 

3.  Among  the  various  arts  to  which  this  emperor  resorted  to 
beguile  the  hearts  of  his  people,  and  perhaps  to  render  them  forgetful 
of  their  former  freedom,  the  most  remarkable  was  the  encouragement 
which  he  extended  to  learning,  and  the  patronage  he  so  liberally 
bestowed  on  all  by  whom  it  was  cultivated.  From  infancy  everything 
had  contributed  to  give  him  a  relish  for  learning,  and  a  respect  for  the 
learned. 

4.  After  being  firmly  established,  without  a  competitor  in  the 
empire,  Augustus  continued  to  pursue  his  private  studies  with  unre- 
mitting assiduity.  When  he  read  a  Greek  or  Latin  author,  he  dwelt 
chiefly  on  what  might  be  a  lesson  or  example  in  the  administration  ol 
public  affairs,  or  in  his  own  private  conduct. 

5.  His  literary  taste  appears  from  the  multitude  of  his  Greek  secre- 
taries, his  superintendents  for  the  charge  of  his  collection  of  statues 
and  pictures,  his  copyists  and  librarians.  When  unable  to  sleep  at 
night,  he  had  a  reader  or  story-teller,  like  the  oriental  monarchs,  who 
sat  by  him,  and  he  often  continued  listening  till  he  dropped  asleep. 

6.  Among  other  embellishments  which  he  bestowed  on  the  city  of 
Rome,  were  two  public  libraries ;  the  one  called  the  Octavian,  which 
stood  in  the  portico  of  Octavia  ;  and  the  other  on  Mount  Palatine, 
near  the  temple  of  Apollo.  From  his  own  share  of  the  spoils  of  the 
conquered  towns  in  Dalmatia,  he  erected  at  the  Palatine  library  a 
magnificent  colonnade,  with  double  rows  of  pillars,  adorned  with 
statues  and  paintings  by  the  chief  Greek  masters. 

T.  This  structure  was  open  below,  but  above  it  comprehended  a 
large  and  curious  library,  with  retiring-rooms  for  private  reading, 
public  halls  for  recitation,  schools  for  teaching,  and,  in  short,  every 
allurement  and  aid  to  study.  Around  were  delightful  walks,  fitted 
fur  exercise  or  contemplation,  some  under  shade,  and  others  cx[)osed 


CXCll.  — 1.  What  is  said  of  the  literature  of  the  republic  and  that  of  the  empire? 
2.  Of  the  Angu.'ian  age?    3.  Of  the  patronage  of  literature  by  Augustus?    4.  Of  hit 
)wr\  studies?    5   Of  his  taste?    6,  7.  His  libraries?    8.  Education  ?    9—12    Wh?loC 
he  roapect  paid  bv  Augustus  to  literature? 


2C4 


vmnii.. 


o  the  sun.  for  summer  or  winter.  A  colossal  statue  of  Apollo,  io 
bronze;,  of  Tuscan  workmanship,  presided  as  the  {renins  of  iho  place 

.8.  Auoustus  likewise  provided  means  for  the  careful  education 
of  the  Roman  youth.  On  literary  men  in  general  he  bestowed  not 
only  liberal  crifts  of  money,  but  that  attentive  and  respectful  reo:ir.l 
which  they  all  desire,  and  which,  by  raising  their  station  in  sociel}, 
animates  their  exertions. 

9.  The  commencement  of  the  political  career  of  Aufrustus  had 
indeed  been  somewhat  inauspicious  to  the  rising  poets  of  his  country. 
Vir«ril,  Tibullus,  and  Propertius,  all  mourn  the  losses  they  had  suf- 
fered durincr  the  reig-n  of  the  triumvirate.  But  Virjril  had  no  sooner 
ilisplayed  his  genius,  than  his  lands  were  restored,  while  to  other 
poets  crowns  were  assigned  or  statues  erected. 

10.  At  the  very  close  of  his  life,  when  incapable  of  attention  to 
public  business,  Augrnstus  was  carried  in  his  litter  to  Prseneste,  Tibur, 
or  Baiaj,  throunrh  beautiful  alleys  openinjr  to  the  sea,  or  among 
odoriferous  groves,  planted  by  liimself  with  myrtles  and  laurels,  the 
shade  of  which  was  then  believed  to  be  conducive  to  health.  On 
tiiese  journeys  he  read  the  works  of  the  poets  whose  genius  had  been 
fostered  by  him,  and  he  was  constantly  attended  by  philosophers,  in 
whose  conversation  he  found  his  chief  solace. 

11.  Even  on  his  death-bed,  at  Nola,  he  passed  his  time  in  philo- 
sophic conversations  on  the  vanity  and  emptiness  of  all  human  affairs. 
Au^rustus  was  besides  an  excellent  judge  of  composition,  and  a  true 
critic  in  poetry,  so  that  his  patronage  was  never  misplaced  or  lavished 
on  those  whose  writings  might  have  tended  to  corrupt  rather  than 
improve  the  taste  and  learning  of  the  age.      /j 


Jl  u 


CHAPTER   CXCIII. 
VirgiL  —  Horace.  —  Ovid.  —  Tibullus.  —  Propertius. 

1.  The  greatest  poet  of  the  Augustan  age  was  Virgil.  He  was 
r)orn  in  the  village  of  Andes,  now  called  Piet(da,  near  Mantua,  H.  (). 
70.  At  an  early  age  he  studied  at  Cremona,  but  his  education  was 
chiefly  obtained  at  Naples.  He  was  deprived  of  his  paternal  farm  by 
one  of  the  soldiers  on  the  conquering  side  during  the  triumvirate,  but 
recovered  it  by  the  favor  of  Mcpcenas  and  Auirustus. 

2.  When  his  poetical  genius  became  known,  he  was  honored  with 
the  friendship  of  the  emperor,  and  all  the  eminent  men  at  his  court. 
He  visited  Athens  late  in  life,  but  ill  health-  compelled  him  soon  to 
return  to  Italy,  and  he  died  a  few  days  after  landing,  at  Hrundusium, 
H.  C.  19.  He  was  buried  by  his  own  request  at  Naples,  and  his 
.omb  is  still  shown  to  travellers  on  the  hill  of  Posilippu. 

3.  V  rgil's  great  epic  poem,  the^.neid,  is  in  many  material  puint? 
an  imitation  of  Homer  ;  it  is  nevertheless  a  work   of  genius  an»* 


CXCIII.  ~  1,  2   What  of  the  life  of  Viryil?    3.  His^ueid?    4.  HwGeorgics?    5  «.  ? 
If  Horace?    S,  9,  10.  Of  Ovid?     II     TibulliH  7     Vi    Properliiw? 


VIRGIL -HORACE. 


2G0 


,'efined  last  3.  His  diction  is  more  finished,  and  better  suited  to  a 
highly  culti/ated  age,  than  that  of  his  great  master,  though  the  latter 
Car  surpasses  him  ii  invention  and  sublimity  of  thought. 


Virgil. 

4.  Virgil  also  wrote  four  books  of  Georgics,  which  treat  of  agri- 
c  iltuie,  the  planting  of  trees,  the  training  of  animals,  and  the  keeping 
of  bees.  He  likewise  composed  pastorals,  in  which  he  imitated 
Theocritus,  the  Sicilian  poet.  Throughout  all  his  writings,  the  style 
and  versification  of  Virgil  exhibit  the  highest  degree  of  excellence. 

5.  Horace  is  generally  regarded  as  ranking  next  to  Virgil.  He 
was  born  at  Venusia,  in  Apulia,  B.  C.  65.  He  went  to  Rome  at  an 
early  age  for  his  education,  and  at  twenty-one  visited  Athens  to  com- 
plete his  studies.  When  Brutus  and  Cassius  attempted  to  restore  the 
republic,  Horace,  with  others  of  the  Roman  youth  then  studying  in 
Greece,  joined  their  standard. 

6.  He  was  at  the  battle  of  Philippi,  and  candidly  confesses,  m  one 
cf  his  poems,  that  he  threw  away  his  shield  and  ran  with  his  defeated 
'comrades.  Virgil  was  a  kind  friend,  and  recommended  him  to  notice 
at  Rome.  He  was  admitted  to  the  society  of  Augustus,  and  the 
chief  men  of  his  court.  . 

7.  Horace  has  acquired  his  chief  fame  by  his  lyrical  effusions. 
In  variet'^  and  versatility  of  talent,  his  lyric  genius  is  unrivalled. 
Elegance  apd  justness  of  thought,  and  felicity  of  expression,  are  hii 

23 


'2m 


HORACE  — OVID. 


main  cliaracteristics.     He  WTote  also  satires  and  epistles  in  verso 
which  display  a  noble  earnestness  seasoned  with  tlie  most  refined 


Horace. 

pleasantry  and  humor.  The  style  of  Horace  is  inimitable,  and  bids 
defiance  to  all  attempts  at  translation ;  for  this  reason  his  works  appear 
flat  and  tasteless  when  they  are  read  in  another  lanfrnarre. 

8.  Ovid  was  born  at  Sulmo,  B.  C.  43.  In  early  youth  he  was 
carried  to  Rome  by  his  father  to  be  educated  for  the  law,  but  his  taste 
for  poetry  and  literature  prevailed  over  all  other  inclinations.  He 
visited  Athens,  and  the  chief  cities  of  Asia  Minor.  After  sottlino 
riiinself  at  Rome,  lie  devoted  his  time  to  the  muses,  and  became  a 
favorite  with  the  chief  men  of  the  time. 

9.  At  the  ajre  of  fifty-one,  Augustus  suddenly  banished  him  to 
Fomi,  on  the  Euxine  Sea,  a  wild,  barbarous,  and  distant  corner  of  the 
unpire.  The  cause  of  this  proceedinor  has  never  been  discovered,  but 
las  led  to  much  controversy  among  modern  scholars  Ovid  betrayed 
ftuch  weakness  of  character  under  his  misfi)rtune,  and  employed  all 
lie  arts  of  entreaty  and  adulation  to  induce  the  emperor  to  recall  him, 
•lit  in  vain.  Tiberius  was  equally  inexorable,  after  the  death  of 
Vuirustus.  and  Ovid  died  in  exile. 

10.  Ovid  is  distinguished  as  a  poet  by  a  very  fertile  imagination,  a 
lively,  blooming  wit,  and  a  luxuriance  of  thought  and  expression  ;  the 
^Vev  qualities,  however,  are  often  carried  to  excess.     His  »argest  anr' 


LIVY. 


:iG7 


most  beautiful  poem  is  the  Metamorphoses,  or  niytliical  transforn.a- 
lions.  The  subjects  of  this  were  derived  Iroiii  Gn^ek  writings  wl'ich 
are  now  lost ;  and  Ovid's  work  is  thus  highly  valuable  as  a  record 
of  ancient  mythology.  He  also  wrote  elegiac,  didactic,  and  other 
poems. 

11.  Tibullus  was  born  about  B.  C.  30.  According  to  Quintilian. 
the  Roman  critic,  he  is  entitled  to  the  first  rank  among  the  Latin 
eJegiac  poets.  He  combines  soft,  tender  feelings,  with  a  noble  and 
accurate  expression.  His  invention  is  rich,  and  not  disfigured  with 
unnatural  ornaments.     He  wrote  four  books  of  elegies. 

12.  Propertijs  was  born  B.  C.  15.  He  was  the  iriend  of  A^irgil. 
Ovid,  and  Tibullus.  His  elegies,  consisting  also  of  four  books, 
exhibit  rich  poetical  expression  and  correctness  of  style. 


CHAPTER  CXCIV. 

Livy.  —  Character  of  the  Augusia?i  Age, 

1.  Of  the  prose  writers  of  the  Augustan  age,  the  most  remarkable 
is  Livy,  who  was  born  at  Padua,  B.  C.  58.  The  greater  part  of  his 
early  life  was  spent  at  Rome,  where  he  devoted  twenty  years  to  the 
composition  of  his  magnificent  work,  the  History  of  Rome,  from  the 
foundation  of  the  city  to  his  own  time.  This  performance  gained  him 
so  high  a  reputation,  even  in  his  own  lifetime,  that  a  story  is  told  of  a 
perso'n  who  travelled  from  Cadiz,  in  Spain,  to  Rome,  only  to  see  the 
great  historian. 

2.  Of  the  hundred  and  forty  books  of  Livy's  history,  only  thirty- 
five  remain  at  the  present  day.  The  lo.ss  of  the  remainder  of  this 
invaluable  work  is  chiefly  to  be  ascribed  to  Pope  Gregory  L,  who 
ordered  every  copy  to  be  burned  that  could  be  found,  because  the 
history  contained  stories  of  pagan  miracles. 

3.  Livy's  great  excellence  is  his  masterly  style,  which  surpa&ies 
that  of  any  other  historian  for  clearness,  liveliness,  and  finished 
elegance.  Every  reader  has  been  charmed  with  the  spirit  and  beauty 
of  his  narrative,  the  eloquence  of  his  harangues,  and  the  picturesque 
touches  with  which  his  descriptions  are  set  off. 

4.  Livy  has  been  taxed  with  credulity,  because  he  relates  the  provl- 
igies  and  portents  which  he  found  recorded  in  the  old  annals,  and 
which  we  know  to  be  fabulous.  But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
llu^  historian  introduces  these  things  into  his  work  as  characteristics 
of  the  age,  and  with  a  warning  to  the  reader  that  he  does  not  vouch 
lor  the  truth  of  all  he  writes. 

5.  I'he  preceding  catalogue  comprises  but  a  portion  of  the  names 
.*f  eminent  writers  which  might  be  mentioned  as  adorning  the  Augus- 
tan period  of  Roman  literature.  Li  this  auspicious  age,  which  termi- 
nated the  lancor  of  civil  war,  and  restored  peace  to  Rome,  with  tht. 


CXCIV.  -1.  What  of  Livy?    2.  Ho  v  much  of  hia  history  is  lost  ?     8,4.  What  is  i:» 
.haracter      5,  6,  7.  What  was  the  slate  ol  literature  and  learned  men  at  Rome  In  th» 


268 


CHAJtACTER  OF  THE  ALGLsTAN   AGE. 


enjoyments  of  society,  the  example  of  a  few  great  poets  was  calcu 

lated  to  rouse  emulation  in  all.     One  bard  caught  fire  from  the  cenius 

ot  another,  and  as  everything  contributed  to  spread  and  promote  the 

rwKi"^^J''"''^'P'"!  of  poetry  became  everyuhcre  triumphant. 

6.  VVhi  e  devoting  their  talents  to  the  cuJtivation   of  the  same 

department  of  hterature,  so  far  were   these  ilhistrious  writers  from 

being  tainted  with  the  jealousy  which  has  so  often  infected  men  of 

rpTii""".  /^"IJ'I'-^^f  thj?y  n«t  only  passed  their  lives  in  habits  of 

.^- llr  ?K   ^r^^^^^^^P'  ^"K^^J^  ^"d  expressed  the  sincerest  admiration 
ot  each  other's  literary  productions. 

7.  Their  example  extended  to  their  contemporaries,  and  humanized 
and  improved  the  temper  of  the  age.  No  cla^  of  works  produced  at 
one  period,  ever  won  so  strongly  the  admiration  of  mankind  as  those 
d  d  nnt  n"?"r  ^"  f^f^i  The  glories  of  the  age  of  Pericles,  in  Greece, 
did  not  outshine  the  blaze  of  poetic  genius  which  illumined  the  cour 
ot  Augustus. 

nn^*  ^^  ^^^l^'^'^^^  grave  the  first  impulse  to  poetry,  the  Romans 
engraved  the  traces  of  its  progress  deeper  on  the  world  ;  for  when 
Lurope  first  awoke  from  its  long  trance  of  barbarism  and  ignorance, 
the  works  of  Roman  genius  alone  were  accessible  to  imitation 

y.  Hence  It  is  on  the  classical  models  of  the  Augustan  age  that  the 
most  beautiful  portions  of  modern  poetry  have  been  fomied  ;  and 
there  is  scarcely  a  poetical  work  of  eminence  in  which  we  may  not 
thdr  dl'ti^''^^  sentiments,  their  character,  their  imageiy,  or 

10.  We  meet  with  no  Latin  writer  on  philosophical  subjects  in  the 
^."rnnir  '^^K  J^^  ^^"^^"aje  ^^s  not  Well  adapted  to  philosophical 
nirposes.  Ihe  Romans  had  been  engaged  for  seven  hundred  years 
n   wars   and    political   commotions,    which   wholly  engrossed   their 

thoughts.  Hence  their  language  became,  like  their  ideas,  copious  in 
all  that  related  to  the  operations  of  war  or  politics,  and  well  suited  to 
the  purposes  of  history  or  popular  eloquence. 

11.  But  the  Romans  had  no  precise  terms  for  metaphysical  ideas, 

Ilh  s^rn'^on'^' T.""^"^'' ^^'"^^^^^    ^"    '^'^^^   "^i"^«   ^^'   philosophical 

nhv  thn  Th  ^  ^'^  T'5'  r^l^^^"'  '^  "™^">^  ^^^^^  «^»^««ls  Of  philoso- 
phy that  the  Romans  had  little  motive  to  invent  new  systems,  since 

every  one  might  find,  in  the  doctrines  of  some  sect  or  other,  tenets 
which  could  be  sufficiently  accommodated  to  his  own  taste  and  siiua- 
ifiun  • 

AtllJ'pK^'i^^'^TAr"^^.^^  ^^"^^   frequented   the   schools   of 
Athens,  Rhodes  and  Alexandria,  to  learn  rhetoric  and  philosophy. 
Ihe  Greek   philosophers  were   likewise   patronized    at  Rome ;    the 
respect  which  Auo-ustus  paid  to  these  sages  was  a  politic  measure 
and  highly  popular  among  his  subjects. 


Augustan  age  ?     8.  What  of  Greek  and  Roman  eenin^  1     Q    wko.  :   n  ^  j    . 

literature  of  the  Auirusian  a-ei     10    11    Wh,,^!rf  i  J-    9-   rj^hat  innncnces  had  lh« 
Vk^Jiere  were  the  noble  Roinan  youth  oducaled  3  ^""  pblc«ophical  i.rue«  J     12L 


DECLINE  AND  EXTINCTION  OF  ROMAN    LITEKATURK. 


Of\U 


CHAPTER  CXCV. 

Decline  and  Extinction  of  Roman  Literature. 

1.  After  the  Augustan  age,  Roman  literature  began  very  sensioly 
U»  decline  from  its  height  of  glory  and  perfection.  From  the  concur- 
rence of  many  causes,  this  decay  was  more  rapid  than  its  forriiei 
progress  and  improvement  had  been.  Among  these  causes  were  the 
establishment  of  despotism,  the  little  encouragement  given  to  litera- 
ture by  most  of  the  emperors  succeeding  Augustus,  the  great  increase 
of  luxury,  and  consequent  degeneracy  of  manners. 

2.  The  changes  in  the  moral  and  political  condition  of  Rome 
paralyzed  the  nobler  motives  which  had  stimulated  the  citizens.  Pure 
taste  and  delicate  sensibility  were  gradually  lost ;  gaudy  ornament 
was  admired  rather  than  real  beauty  ;  affectation  was  substituted  f  ii 
nature,  and  the  subtleti(!s  of  sophistry  for  true  philosophy. 


lOSSIMO'MHIIlTr  St 


Tar  It  us. 

3.  Finally,  the  invasions  ot  the  barbarians,  the  frequent  interna 
commotions,  the  conflict  of  Christianity  with  pagan  superstition,  the 

CXCV.  —  1.  When  did  Roman  literature  decline?      2,  3.  What  were  the  causet 
4,  5,  6.  What  of  Tacitus?     7.  Quintui*  Curiiua  ?    8.  Florus? 

23* 


270 


LATER   ROMAN   WRITERS. 


LATER  ROMAN    VVRllERS. 


271 


removal  of  the  seat  of  goverrment  to  Constantinoi»le,  anc\  the  divisiot 
of  the  empire,  consummated  the  fall  of  Roman  literature. 

4.  Among  the  names  deserving  of  mention  during  this  latter 
period,  the  most  prominent  is  that  of  Tacitus.  lie  was  born  about 
A.  D.  50,  at  Interamna,  in  Italy,  but  received  his  education  at 
Massilia,  now  Marseilles,  in  France.  He  began  to  rise  in  office 
under  Vespasian,  and  gained  some  of  the  higliest  honors  in  the  state 
He  was  celebrated,  while  young,  for  his  eloquence  at  the  bar. 

5.  Tacitus  wrote  tlie  Roman  History,  from  the  death  of  Nero  to 
that  of  Domitian,  and  the  Annals  of  Rome,  from  Augustus  to  Nero. 
Both  of  these  works  have  come  down  to  us  in  a  mutilated  state.  He 
vvrote  also  the  Life  of  Agricola,  and  a  Treatise  on  the  Manners  of  the 
Germans,  both  of  wtiich  have  been  preserved  entire. 

6.  The  writings  of  Tacitus  are  characterized  by  remarkable  political 
acumen,  a  noble  freedom  of  spirit,  a  judicious  arrangement  of  circum- 
stances in  narrative,  and  very  great  richness  of  thought,  together  with 
the  most  condensed  brevity  of  expression. 

7.  Quintus  Curtius,  of  whom  little  is  known,  probably  lived  about 
the  middle  of  the  first  century.  He  wrote  a  history  of  the  achieve- 
ments of  Alexander  the  Great,  a  very  interesting  and  agreeable  work _ 
but  much  inferior  in  style  to  Tacitus  or  Livy. 

8.  L.  Anna?us  Florus,  a  native  of  Spain  or  Gaul,  flourished  about 
ihe  beginning  of  the  seconc'  century.  He  wrote  an  epitome  of  Roman 
History  down  to  the  time  of  Augustus.  Suetonius,  a  grammarian, 
rhetorician,  and  lavvyer  of  Rome,  Hved  about  the  same  time.  Ilia 
lives  of  the  Twelve  Cssars  have  the  merit  of  candid  impartiality,  ami, 
an  eisy  and  simple  style.  A/f  j)    ' 


i-K^ 


CHAPTER  CXCVI. 

Later  Roman  Writers. 

1.  Pliny  the  Elder  was  born  A.  D.  23.  In  hie  twenty-secoii<i 
year  he  visited  Africa,  where* he  spent  some  time.  He  afterwards 
served  in  the  army  in  Germany,  practised  law  at  Rome,  and  held  the 
office  of  procurator  in  Spain.  In  the  reign  of  Titus  he  was  admiral 
of  the  Roman  fleet  at  Misenum,  and  lost  his  life  in  the  eruption  of 
Vesuvius,  as  we  have  already  related. 

2.  Pliny  the  Elder  was  one  of  the  most  leanied  of  the  Romans. 
He  wrote  a  Natural  History,  which  is  a  sort  of  encyclopaedia,  full  of 
erudition,  and  one  of  the  most  remarkable  monuments  of  anci(>nt  litera- 
ture. Acconhng  to  his  own  statement,  it  is  a  compilation  drawn  from 
nearly  two  thousand  five  hundred  authors,  the  greater  number  of  wliich 
are  now  lost. 

3.  Phny  the  Younger,  nephew  of  the  preceding,  was  born  about 
A.  D.  GO.  He  studied  eloquence  under  Quintilian,  and  acquired 
great  celebrity  and  influence  at  Rome,  as  a  judicial  orator,  Ui.der 
the  emperor  Trajan,  he  was  sent  to  govern  Rithyn^a  and  P<  r.tus  from 


.y 


whence  he  wrote  his  interesting  epistle  to  Trajan  respecting  the  per 
seculion  of  the  Christians. 


Pliny  the  Elder. 

4.  He  wrote  rhetorical  and  epistolary  works ;  the  former  are  lost, 
but  the  latter  remain.  Pliny's  Letters  possess  much  merit,  both  in 
matter  and  style,  and  may  be  considered  models  of  epistolary  writing. 

5.  Quintilian  was  born  in  Spain,  about  the  same  time  with  the 
younger  Pliny.  He  was  brought  to  Rome  in  his  infancy,  and  was 
for  nmny  years  an  eminent  teacher  of  rhetoric  in  that  city.  He  wrote 
a  work  entitled  the  Institutes  of  Oratory,  being  a  scheme  of  education 
to  form  a  perfect  speaker.  It  is  written  with  much  talent  and  judg- 
ment, and  is  highly  valuable  as  inlbrming  us  respecting  the  manner 
of  education  in  the  Roman  schools  of  rhetoric.  -      k    j\   ' 

0.  Seneca  was  born  at  (>orduba,  now  Cordova,  in  Spain,  A.  D.  .^, 
and  after  many  vicissitudes  became  the  instructor  of  ihe  emperor 
Nero,  at  Rome,  by  whom  he  was  sentenced  to  death  on  a  charge  of 
beincr' concerned  in  a  conspiracy.  Seneca  was  allowed  the  privilege 
of  choosing  the  manner  of  his  death,  and  selected  that  of  opening  hia 
veins;  buf  as  the  blood  did  not  readily  flow,  he  took  poison.  He 
wrote  tragedies,  epistles,  and  philosophical  works.     His  style  is  cen- 


CXCVI  —1   2    Pliny   the  Elder?     3,4.  Pliny  the  Younper?     5.  QuiiUil-%n?    6 
Keiicca?    7,  s/Lncan)    9.  Persius?     10.  Juvenal?     II.  Claudian? 


272 


LATER  ROMAN  WRITERS. 


snred  as  marked  by  affectation,  and  abounding  vvMli  c5cntentiou8 
'■ithesis. 


:^''»' 


Ww^ 
^^W^ 


_^_-  .i-:^^s"'\^ 


Seneca. 

7.  J.ucan  was  also  bom  at  Corduba,  A.  D.  38.  He  receiyed  bia 
education  at  Rome  and  Athens.  Nero  bestowed  upon  him  the  offices 
of  quaestor  and  augur  ;  but  Lucan,  having  imprudently  become  a  com- 
petitor with  the  emperor  in  a  poetical  contest,  excited  the  jealousy 
of  that  stern  tyrant,  and  this  proSably  caused  Lucan  to  take  part  in 
a  conspiracy  against  him. 

8.  Nero  condemned  him  to  die,  with  the  same  privilege  that  he 
granted  to  Seneca.     Lucan  wrote  an  epic  poem  entitled  the  Pharsalia 
the  subject  of  which  is  the  civil  wars  between  Cssar  and  Pompey 
It  IS  historical  raiher  than  epic,  too  strictly  limited  to  facts,  but  it  con- 
tains  excellent  delineations  of  character,  and  finely  wrought  speeches 

9.  Pcrsius  was  born  A.  D.  50,  and  died  in  his  twenty-eighth 
year.  He  wrote  satires,  which  are  remarkable  as  containing  earnest 
and  severe  animadversions  on  the  prevailing  corruption  of  morals 

10.  Juvenal  was  born  A.  D.  38,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
(Iving  in  a  sort  of  exile,  while  holding  a  military  command  in  Ecrypt; 
He  wrote  satires,  in  which  he  inveighs  against  the  vices  and  FoWwh 
of  the  times  with  a  noble  and  animated  spirit,  but  with  too  much 
freedom  of  language. 

n.  C:iaudian  may  be  regarded  as  the  last  of  the  ancient  Roman 


RELIGIOiN   OF  THE  ROMANS. 


273 


•joets.  He  was  oorn  about  A.  D.  365,  at  Alexandria,  in  Egypt, 
where  he  was  educated.  He  lived  fur  a  time  ai  Rome,  and  at  Milan, 
which  was  then  the  seat  of  the  western  empire.  He  enjoyed  the 
patronage  of  Stilicho,  the  guardian  and  minister  of  the  emperor 
Honorius. 

12.  Claudian  wrote  panegyrical  poems,  epics,  satires,  epigrams, 
&c.  His  works  show  great  genius  and  poetic  ability;  but  hi? 
liioughts,  images,  and  expressions,  bear  the  marks  of  the  artificial  and 
unnatural  Uiste  prevalent  in  his  age. 


CHAPTER   CXCVn. 
Relisioii  of  the   Romans. 


Jicpiiei  and  his  Court. 

1.  The  Roman  religion  wa5  founded  on  the  mythological  system 
»f  the  Greeks.  A  plurality  of  deities  superintending  human  concerns 
formed  the  prevailing  creed.  All  these  had  priests,  ministers,  sacri- 
fices and  oblations. 

2.  The  augurs  were  considered  as  an  important  and  necessary  pari 
of  the  religious  establishment.  Each  tribe  had  one  of  these  pretended 
prophets,  who  announced  the  will  of  the  gods  with  regard  to  any 
future  enterprise,  from  an  observance  of  the  flight  or  the  noise  of 
birds,  from  the  feeding  of  poultry,  the  movement  of  beasts,  &c. 

3.  The  high  priest  and  his  associates  not  only  regulated  the  public 
W(;;-ship,  but  acted  as  judges  in  all  cases  which  had  reference  to  reli- 
gion. A  remarkable  order  of  priests  was  established  in  the  reign  of 
Numa.     When  a  pestilence  had  made  furious  re  n  ges  in  Rome,  a 

18 


274 


KKLIGION  OF  THE  ROlNIAxNS. 


brazen  bsckler  was  produced,  which  the  kin^r  pretended  nad  been  sent 
from  heaven  to  indicate  the  divine  will  for  the  cessa*  on  of  the  dis- 
ease. 

4.  Numa  ordered  eleven  others  to  be  made  exactly  m  the  same 
form,  that  any  one  who  mipht  profanely  wish  to  steal  the  sacred 
shield  might  not  be  able  to  distinguish  it  from  the  rest.  These  were 
consigned  to  the  care  of  twelve  priests,  called  Salii,  who  occasionally 
jcarmd  the  bucklers  about  Rome,  singing  as  they  passed.  Bemg 
•considered  as  the  priests  of  Mars,  the  Salii  were  highly  respected  by 

the  warlike  Romans. 

5.  The  Corybantes,  or  priests  of  Cybele,  were  mtroduced  at  a 
much  later  period.  These  were  Phrygians,  who  danced  in  armor, 
shouting,  howling,  and  playing  on  a  variety  of  instruments.  This 
establishment  was  recommended  by  the  Sibylline  oracles,  to  which 
the  Romans,  from  the  time  of  Tarquin  the  Proud,  paid  a  rrv«>renti?l 
regard 


Sacrijice 

r    Cybele  was  worshipped  at  Rome  under  the  name  of  Vesta 
She  had  six  priestesses,  called  Vestal  Virgins,  who  guarded  a  fire 
kept  constantly  burning,  called  the  Vestal  fire.     This  flame  was  su]> 
posed  to  be  mysteriously  connected  with  the  origm  of  all  thmgs 
The  Vestal  Virgins  were  treated  with  great  reverence  by  the  people, 
and  in  imploring  pardon  their  intercession  was  of  peculiar  efficacy. 

7.  They  did  not  live  in  seclusion,  like  the  nuns  of  monkish  times. 
^ut  were  allowed  to  appear  in  public,  and  even  to  be  present  at  the 
sports  and  games.  When  one  of  them  died,  it  was  so  diflficult  to 
supply  her  place,  thai  the  high  priest  was  generally  obliged  to  seize 


rvrVTI  —  1    What  was  the  foundation  of  the  Roman  religion  1    2.  The  au 
n»  hish  prie3t1    4.  The  Salii  1    5.  Corybanlea?    6.  Cybele  ?    7,8.      c>.iaU 


2.  The  aueursi 


ROMAN   FESTIVALS. 


27' 


t# 


upon  some  female  by  violence,  and  compel  her  to  assume  ♦he  office 
of  a  VesUil. 

8.  This  repugnance  arose  principally  from  the  dreadful  punishment 
which  followed  a  violation  of  the  Vestal's  vow  of  chastity.  The 
unfortunate  delinquent  was  buried  alive  for  her  oflence  ;  but  it  doe* 
not  appear  that  many  suffered  during  a  long  succession  oif  ages 


CHAPTER   CXCVIII. 

Roman  Festivuis. 

I.  Of  the  festivals  which  were  periodically  solemnizeil  by  the 
Rfimans,  the  Lupercalia  and  the  Saturnalia  were  the  most  remarkable, 
The  Luperci,  or  priests  of  Pan,  were  the  earliest  sacerdotal  order  in 
ihe  Roman  state. 


'W/M 


Priest,  Altar,  and  Vestal  Virgins 

2.  Tliey  sacrificed  white  goats  in  the  t(;mple  of  the  rust  c  god, 
smearing  the  face  of  two  boys  of  noble  birth  witii  the  blood  of  these 
iniimals,  and  then  wiping  off  the  stains  with  wool  dipped  in  milk. 
The  boys,  furnished  with  thongs  from  the  skins  of  the  victims,  ran 
about  the  streets  lashing  the  young  women,  who  thought  it  a  spec  al 
!.iv<»r  to  receive  the  blows. 

3.  The  festival  of  the  Saturnalia  did  not  at  first  extend  beyond  oup 
lay,  but  Augustus  gratified  the  people  with  two  additional  days  o^ 
aport  an<l  festivity.     Universal  joy  and  harmony  prevailed  during  thi* 

CXCV'in.  — I.  What  of  the  Lupercalia?    2    Sacrifices?    3,4.  The  Saturnalia?    6 
I  he  litres?    6.  The  secular  games .'     7.  The  centennial  {lames  ? 


276 


THE  CIRCUS  —  AMPHITHEATRE  —  GLADIATORS. 


festival,  in  commemoration  of  the  peaceful  and  happy  age  m  which 
Saturn  flourished. 

4.  No  serious  business  was  allowed,  but  all  kinds  of  amusement 
and  indulgence  marked  this  period  of  license.  A  distinguished 
feature  of  ^the  festival  was  the  custom  which  elevated  the  lowest  ser- 
vants tc  a  temporary  equality  with  their  masters,  who  patiently  bore 
every  freedom  of  remark  from  their  menials,  and  even  submitted  to 
the  keenest  sarcasms. 

5.  Among  the  sacred  games,  some  were  as  ancient  as  the  reign  of 
Romulus.  Some  of  them  consisted  of  rustic  sports,  during  which  the 
figures  of  the  Lares,  or  household  gods,  were  crowned  with  flowers, 
(ithers  comprised  horse-racing,  wrestling,  leaping,  shooting  the  jave- 
lin, and  various  other  trials  of  robust  and  dexterous  superiority. 

G.  The  secular  games  were  intended  to  recur  once  in  a  century, 
but  the  exact  time  was  not  strictly  regarded.  In  one  of  the  Sibylline 
volumes  it  was  declared,  in  the  assumed  spirit  of  prophecy,  that  if  the 
Romans  would  honor  the  principal  deities  with  splendid  spectacles 
and  games  at  the  commencement  of  every  century,  their  dominion 
would  be  remarkably  extensive  and  permanent. 

7.  In  consequence  of  this  flattering  intimation,  the  centurial  games 
were  instituted.  At  this  festival  ''le  blood  of  victims  flowed  on  some 
all;irs,  and  the  produce  of  the  earth  more  innocently  graced  others. 
Hymns  were  sung  by  matrons,  boys  and  girls  ;  and  sports  of  various 
kinds  continued  during  three  days.    /  ^  "^ 

CHAPTER  CXCiX. 

The  tircus.  —  Amphitheatre.  —  Gladiators. 

1.  The  games  which  enlivened  the  solemn  festivals  were  exhibited 
at  other  times  in  the  circus.  Among  these  were  chariot  races  and 
combats  of  wild  beasts,  both  of  which  were  viewed  with  great  trans- 
port by  the  Romans.  The  beasts  fought  with  each  other,  or  with 
men,  either  criminals  or  mercenaries. 

2.  Julius  Caesar  gratified  the  people  with  a  battle  between  five 
hundred  men  and  twenty  elephants.  On  another  occasion  he  exhibited 
a  thousand  combatants  on  horseback  and  on  foot,  aerainst  twenty 
elephants,  each  with  a  tower  on  his  back  containing  sixty  warriors. 

3.  When  the  Romans  had  acquired  some  degree  ol  naval  skill, 
they  added  sea-fights  to  their  other  amusements.  An  extensive 
edifice  surrounded  a  channel  suflficiently  capacious  for  the  evolutions 
of  a  considerable  number  of  galleys.  Sometimes  the  exhibition  was 
a  mere  trial  of  speed  ;  at  other  times  they  had  regular  naval  engage- 
ments, in  which  blood  was  shed  for  the  gratification  of  the  unfeeling 
spectators. 

4.  Nothing  can  more  strongly  evince  that  brutality  which,  even  ir 


CXCIX. —  1.  What  of  the  circus?    2.  Of  Juliua  Cajsar's  exhibiiiork* )    1  Of 
fights?    4—8.  Of  gladiators? 


THE  CI KCUS  —  AMPHITHEATRE  -GLADIATORS. 


till 


me  progress  of  refi  ement,  never  deserted  the  Roman  character,  ihan 
ihe  instituiion  and  continuance  of  gladiatorial  combats.  Such  '.:xni- 
bitions  could  only  please  a  people  who  had  a  strong  tincture  ot 
ferocity 


Roman  Chariot  Race. 

5.   It   bus  been  supposed  that  the  custom  of  kilhng  prisoners  oi 
Javes  at  tl.e  funerals  of  princes  and  heroes,  or  of  compelling  them  tc 


Conttst  ivith  Wild  Beasts. 

fiohi  each  other,  gave  rise  to  the  barbarous  practice  of  gladia»onal 

24 


'^i^  ^«l.^■^M-"'^t<lJ£ll  (  j 


•27S 


PRIVATE  AMUSEMENTS  OF  THE  RO.AIANS. 


combats      But  in  all  probability  the  fondness  of  the  Romans  foi  wai 
was  the  i.iain  cause. 

G.  Two  citizens,  of  the  name  of  Brutus,  are  mentioned  as  the  first 
who  exhibited  rrladiators  in  Rome  ;  Vnis  was  done  at  the  funeral  of 
cheir  father.  The  example  thus  set  was  followed  both  by  citizens 
and  mafTistrates.  The  vanquished  combatants  did  not  always  lose 
their  lives,  for  the  people  would  sometimes  interfere  in  their  behalf. 

7.  It  was  at  first  customary  to  employ  criminals  or  slaves  on  these 
o<rcasions  ;  in  the  latter  case,  even  trivial  offences  were  deemed  sufTi- 
:iont  to  justify  an  exposure  of  a  fellow-creature  to  the  risk  of  death. 
Afterwards,  citizens  wiio  had  not  committed  any  crime,  and  who 
wished  to  sifjnalize  their  couratre,  were  induced  to  enter  the  lists  and 
regi.lar  schools  of  gladiators  were  formed. 

8.  The  o-hidiatcrs  did  not  all  fight  in  the  same  mode,  or  with  the 
same  weapons.  Some  were  completely  armed ;  others  had  only  a 
trident  and  a  net  Icr  entangling  antagonists.  Liberty  was  the  usual 
reward  of  a  slave  v.ho  triumphed.  A  freeman  received  a  pecuniary 
recompense.  These  combats  were  sometimes  introduced  at  social 
entertainments,  to  enliven  the  festivities.  Guests  who  could  be 
thus  amused  may  be  thought  only  one  degree  above  cannibals. 


CHAPTER   CC. 
Private  Amusements  of  the  Romans. 

1.  Tm:  private  amusements  of  the  Romans  are  not  unworthy  of 
.loiice.  They  not  only  display  the  character  of  the  nation  in  many 
instances,  but  without  a  knowledge  of  them,  many  passages  in  ancient 
authors  would  be  unintellitrible. 

2.  Various  modes  of  playing  with  ball  are  mentioned  ;  one  depended 
on  the  triangular  position  of  three  persons  who  sent  the  ball  to  each 
other,  deriding,  as  the  loser,  the  first  who  let  it  fall.  The  quoit  was 
frequently  thrown  for  private  diversion  ;  and  not  only  boys,  but  young 
men,  were  fond  of  playing  with  a  hoop  furnished  with  rinjrs. 

3.  A  game  resembling  chess,  and  requiring  much  skill,  was  also 
played.     The  Romans   were  particularly  fond  of  games  of  hazard. 
Dice  were  shaken  and  thrown  out  of  a  long  box,  as  in  modern  times 
Augustus  was  much  addicted  to  this  amusement,  although  it  was 
proliibited  by  law. 

4.  The  manners  of  the  early  Romans  were  marked  with  simplicity 
Not  being  ashamed  either  of  their  sentiments  or  their  conduct,  they 
avoided,  as  useless  and  degrading,  all  artifice  and  dissimulation'. 
They  were  attentive  to  decorum  and  respectful  to  their  superiors,  but 
not  servilely  submissive.  'J'hey  were  not  absolutely  destitute  ot 
friendship,  but  they  had  neither  warmth  of  attachment  nor  lendernesj 
of  sympathy. 


CC  —  1.  Whit  of  the  prisrate  amnsements  of  the  Ron:ans?    2.  Of  playln"  hall  and 
quoit?    3.  Chead?    4.  Of  early  Roman  inannera  ?    5,  6.  Of  paterral  relational  «!kc.  J 


ROMAN   ARCHITECTURE. 


279 


5  In  their  paternal  relations,  they  were  not  so  kind  and  acquies- 
cent as  thev  were  stern  and  haughty.  In  the  character  of  husband 
»nd  master;  they  were  disposed  to  be  arbitrary  and  impetuous,  ihat 
hardihood  which  was  generated  by  their  political  zeal  gradually 
entered  into  their  social  composition,  and  marked  their  portrait  with 

harsh  lines.  ,  . 

0.  This  rigidity  of  character  was  preserved  for  ages,  an4  it  wa« 
communicated  even  to  the  women,  who  wore  thus  in  a  great  measure 
divested  of  that  softness  which  ought  to  distinguish  the  sex 


CHAPTER   CCI. 

Roman  Architecture. 


:^ 


Roman  Country  House,  Former,  (^-c. 

1  The  architectural  art  was  ably  exercised  by  the  Romans,  even 
in  the  infancy  of  their  state.  They  were  indebted  for  their  ear.y 
;kill  in  this  \n  to  the  Etrurians.  Their  origma  ^f^^^^^ 
crowned  with  cu^as,  for  they  appear  to  have  been  fond  of  both  cir- 
cular and  elliptical  forms.  ,  , 

2  The  first  walls  of  Rome  were  chiefly  of  earth,  but  the  ekx 
Tarmiin  becran  the  erection  of  a  wall  of  stone,  which  was  completed 
av  Tullus,  who  added  to  the  work  battlements  and  a  fosse. 

^    Tarquin  the  Proud  finished  the  capitol,  of  which  his  father  ^v as 
.he 'founder,  and  to  both  princes  is  ascribed  tbe  formation  of  tht 
Toaae%x  dmins  of  the  citf.     These  were  so  skilfully  and  suosian 
rially  constructed  as  to  excite  the  astonishment  of  succeeding  ages^  ^ 

CCl.  -  1.    Wl.al   of  architecture   amo„?   the   Romans?      2-  The   v^tlU-    >^    K  m^rl 


280 


KOiMAN    ARCHITECTURE. 


sCULFfURE  AND   PAINTING   AiVlONU    THE  ROMANS. 


281 


4.  The  original  Capitoline  temple  was  not  very  large  or  maj^nih 
cent,  but  when  it  had  been  destroyed  by  fire,  Sulla  rebuilt  it  in  greai 
splendor,  and   embellished   it  with  beautiful  columns  brought  from 
Athens.      The   Pantheon    and   other  structures   we   have   alread} 

described. 

5.  Ro.nan  skill  and  industry  were  eminently  conspicuous  m  the 
aqueducts.  For  above  four  hundred  years  the  inhabitants  were  con 
tent  with  the  water  of  the  Tiber,  and  of  wells  and  springs  ;  but  as  a 
more  copious  supply  was  required  when  the  city  became  very  larg* 
and  populous,  Appius  Claudius  devised  means  for  the  conveyance  of 
water  from  the  river  Anio. 

6.  A  course  of  strong  brick-work  or  stone,  arched  at  the  top 
covered  a  canal,  which,  notwithstanding  all  inequalities  of  ground, 
regularly  proceeded  to  the  city.  After  the  success  of  this  experiment 
had  been  established,  larger  aqueducts  were  built,  some  of  them  with 
two  chai.nels,  one  over  the  other.  A  grippa  constructed  one,  pro- 
fusely adorned  with  statues  and  other  embellishments. 

7.  The  Romans  particularly  attended  to  the  firmness  and  durability 
of  their  roads,  and  in  these  conveniences  they  surpassed  all  other 
people,  ancient  and  modern.  The  Roman  roads  were  frequently 
paved  with  flint,  and  cemented  with  as  much  care  as  the  walls  of 
buildings.  Pebbles  were  interspersed  with  old  fragments  of  masonry, 
and  courses  of  brick  and  stone  were  regularly  introduced  with  an 
accompaniment  of  the  best  mortar.  The  Roman  bricks  were  verv 
strong  and  durable. 


Roman  Bath. 


8.  I'he  edifices  designed  for  public  baths  were  of  extraordii.^  j 
lize  and  magnificence.     They  were  built  among  extensive  gardi  m 

3.  Tartiuin?     4.  Capitoline  temple  1    5,  6.  Aqueducts ?    7.  Roads?    8.  Ballwl    9    U( 
Uaracalla?     10.  OJ  Diocleaian  ^ 


and  walks,  and  were  surrounded  by  porticoes.  The  main  building 
contained  spacious  halls  for  swimming  and  bathing  ;  others  for  various 
athletic  exercises  ;  others  for  the  declamations  of  poets,  and  the  lec- 
tures of  philosophers  ;  in  a  word,  for  every  species  of  polite  and 
raanly  amuse  nent. 

9  Architecture,  sculpture  and  painting,  exhausted  their  refine- 
ments on  these  establishments,  which,  for  their  vast  extent,  were 
compared  to  cities.  The  baths  of  Caracalla  were  ornamented  with 
two  hundred  pillars  and  sixteen  hundred  seats  of  marble.  Three 
thousand  persons  could  be  seated  in  them  at  one  time. 

10.  The  baths  of  Dioclesian  surpassed  all  the  others  in  size  and 
sumptuousness  of  decoration.     One  of  its  halls  forms  at  present  the 
church  of  the  Carthusians,  which  is  among  the  largest  and  mosjf 
magnificent  of  modern  Rome.  jj  Jf  //    \ 


CHAPTER   ecu. 

Sculpture  aixd  Fainting  among  the  Romans, 


"Roman  Chairs. 

1.  Sculpture  was  introduced  at  Rome  from  Etruria,  at  a  very 
early  period ;  but  for  a  long  time  only  statues  of  the  gods  were 
formed,  and  these  were  merely  of  wood  or  clay.  Representations  of 
warriors  and  patriots  were  afterwards  exhibited,  but  in  the  fabricatior 
of  these  figures  the  Romans  were  unskilful. 

2.  The  first  brazen  statue  at  Rome  was  set  up  in  the  temple  ol 


UM 


CXII  —1.  Of  Sculpture  at  Rome?    2.  3.  Of  I  he  first  b"  ize  statue?     4.  Of  Roinar 

24* 


282 


MANNERS  AND  DKESS  OF  THE  ROIMANSL 


Cpr<=>s,  '-idA  was  paid  for  out  of  the  property  of  Cassius,  who  waa  con- 
demned to  death  for  aiming  at  arbitrary  power. 

3.  The  vanity  of  this  aspiring  citizen  prompted  him  to  display  hi« 
own  image  in  front  of  the  altar  of  Vesta ;  but  tlie  censors  would  not 
suffer  it  to  remain,  and  they  ordained  that  no  statue  of  a  citizen,  how- 
ever illustrious,  sh(»uld  be  erected  by  private  gratitude  or  respect.  IJut 
this  restriction  was  afterwards  removed,  and  Rome  abounded  m 
statues. 

4.  The  Romans  made  some  attempts  in  painting,  but  with  no  very 
splendid  success.  A  citizen  of  the  name  of  Fabius  derived  the  appel- 
lation of  pictor,  or  "  painter,"  from  his  performances  in  this  depart- 
ment of  the  fine  arts,  before  the  Punic  wars ;  but  this  is  all  we  know 
of  his  skill. 

5.  Valerius  Mossala  made  a  public  exhibition  of  the  picture  of  a 
battle  in  which  he  had  defeated  the  Carthaginians,  but  the  name  of  the 
artist  is  not  stated.  Scipio  Asiaticus,  with  equal  ostentation,  dis- 
played in  the  capitol  a  pictorial  representation  of  his  victories  c^ver 
Antiochus.  And  Lucius  Mancinus,  by  pointing  out  to  the  admiring 
citizens  the  beauties  of  a  picture  relating  to  his  exploits,  obtained  the 
consulate. 

6.  When  the  subjugation  of  the  Grecian  states  had  excited  a 
general  taste  for  refined  works  of  art,  many  of  the  Romans  imitated 
those  productions  which  they  could  not  excel.  Julius  Caesar  ex- 
pended great  sums  in  purchasing  pictures  of  the  old  Greek  masters. 
Augustus  was  a  patron  of  the  art ;  and  portrait  painters  in  his  time 
seem  to  have  been  specially  encouraged. 


CHAPTER   CCIII. 
Manners  and  Dress  of  the  Romaris, 

1.  The  Romans  continued  to  be  a  temperate  and  frugal  people  till 
their  armies  penetrated  into  Asia.  After  the  overthrow  of  Antiochus, 
the  varied  pleasures  and  dissolute  indulgences  cf  Ionia,  Lydia  and 
Syria,  allured  the  stern  and  hardy  conquerors  to  imitation,  and  from 
this  period  successive  relaxations  of  the  ancient  system  of  discipline 
and  manners  were  introduced. 

2.  Every  species  of  voluptuous  gratification  crei)t  into  practice. 
But  luxury  did  not  reach  its  full  height,  nor  did  the  decline  of  morals 
proceed  to  the  utmost  excess  of  depravity,  before  the  death  of  Augus- 
tus, whose  censorial  authority  and  powerful  influence  checked  for  a 
lime  the  progress  of  degeneracy. 

3.  That  prince  was  not  indeed  a  model  of  purity,  but  he  attended 
with  seeming  anxiety  to  the  preservation  of  coirect  morals.  The 
majority  of  his  successors  were,  in  that  respect,  less  vigilant.     An 


painting?    5.  Valerius  Messala  and  Olivers?    6.  How  did  tlie  conquest  of  Greece  affect 
the  fine  arts  amons:  the  Romans? 
(X^III.  — 1,2.  What  effect  had  the  overilirow  of  An'.ioclms  upon  Roman  manneisl 


MANNERS  AND  DRESS  OP    THE  ROMANS. 


283 


nnocent  species  of  luxury  was  that  which  depended  upon  dress  an^ 
nprsonal  nrnam'T.t.     The  plainness  of  the  aiicient  apparel  gave  way. 


Reman  Costumes,  Armor,  t^c 


after  the  establishment  of  connections  with  Asia,  to  a  fondness  foi 
elegant  attire  among  the  hie  her  classes. 


Roman  Lady,  Private  Citizen,  Consul,  Senator,  Laborer. 
4.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  earliest  Romans  were,  as  some  have 

i    When  were  manners  most  corrupt?     4.  Of  Roman  dress?    Tlio  foga  ?  the  nallium  ' 


284 


MANNERS  AND  DRESS  OF  THE   ROMANS. 


said,  content  with  the  skins  of  beasts  for  clothing.  A  woollen  toga 
or  gown,  full  for  the  rich,  and  scanty  for  the  poor,  soon  became  th# 
distinctive  dress  of  the  nation,  as  was  the  'pallium ,  or  cloak,  among 
thb  Greeks. 

5.  A  tunic,  which,  like  the  gown,  was  sleeveless,  afterwards  came 
into  use  ;  it  was  at  first  short,  like  a  waistcoat,  but  it  was  gradually 
lengthened.  It  subsequently  received  the  addition  of  sleeves,  and  wasi 
fastened  by  a  belt.  That  which  the  women  wore,  reached  to  the  feet ; 
with  the  men,  it  ended  at  the  knee. 

6.  These  garments  were  intended  to  be  worn  together,  but  the 
poor  frequently  had  only  the  tunic.  In  the  progress  of  refinement, 
females  had  three  garments ;  the  outer  one  was  called  stola,  and  was 
richly  ornamented  with  embroidery  and  clasps  of  gold . 

7.  The  senators  were  distinguished  by  a  tunic  which  had  broad 
studs  or  knobs  worked  into  it ;  the  knights  had  narrow  studs,  and  the 
common  people  none  at  all.  The  kings  wore  a  white  robe,  with  a 
purple  border,  and  protuberances  of  scarlet.  The  emperors  in  public 
used  one  entirely  of  purple.  Triumphant  generals  wore  a  robe  adorned 
with  various  representations  in  embroidery,  resembling  the  work  of 
the  pencil ;  hence  it  was  called  toga  picta. 

8.  Like  the  Greeks,  the  Romans  were  not  accustomed  to  wear 
hats  or  caps ;  but  at  sacrifices,  festivals  and  games,  or  in  a  long 
journey,  many  wore  a  woollen  or  leather  cap.  When  a  slave  had 
been  set  free,  he  was  allowed  the  constant  use  of  the  pileus,  or  Phry- 
gian cap,  as  a  mark  of  liberty. 


'*      ^    WW- 
Roma^i  Lictor 


9.  The  ensigns  of  regal  dignity  were  borrowed  from  the  Etruscan^, 
and  consisted  of  a  golden  crown,  a  chair  of  ivory,  a  sceptre  of  the 
same  material,  surmounted  by  an  eagle,  a  white  robe,  with  parple 
L-mbroidery,  or  borderings,  and  a  body  of  twelve  lictors,  who  went 


6.  The  tunic?    6.  Female  dres.i  ?     7.  Senatorial   drcaal     fCiin:'d   empertr's,  and  c«»r 
oral's  (J  resd  "    8.  Of  caps?    9.  Of  ensigns  of  royal  ilig.iity,  liciora     —..I 


fOOD  AND  DRINK  OF  THE  ROMANS. 


265 


before  the  king,  each  carrying  a  bundle  of  rods  with  an  axe  in  the 
middle.  The  use  of  the  lictors  was  continued  after  the  overthiow  ol 
the  kingly  government,  and  the  bundle  of  rods,  ox  fasces ^  has  become 
emblematical  of  a  republic. 


CHAPTER   CCIV. 

Food  aiid  Drink  of  the  Romaiis, 


Ruvuin  Bed. 


1.  At  the  entertainments  of  early  and  frugal  times,  no  other  than 
the  ordinary  dress  was  used  ;  but  as  luxury  advanced,  a  peculiar 
habit,  ligiit  and  easy,  was  brought  into  use  at  convivial  meetings. 
Sitting  was  the  primitive  posture  at  meals.  Couches  were  aftei- 
wards  introduced,  first  for  the  men  only,  and  afterwards  for  both 
sexes. 

2.  The  grand  meal  answered  to  our  supper,  and  for  this  particu- 
larly, the  guest-chaml  ers  or  eating-halls  were  constructed.  The 
table,  being  either  quadrangular  or  rounded,  had  on  each  side  three 
couches,  each  having  three  pillows  on  which  to  support  the  arm  in 
reclining ;  nine  persons  were  therefore  accommodated  at  a  table ;  the 
post  of  honor  was  the  central  place  ;  all  the  guests  reclined  on  the 
left  arm. 

3.  At  the  supper  of  the  rich,  there  were  commonly  three  courses. 
The  first  consisted  of  eggs,  salad,  radishes,  &c.,  to  whet  the  appc" 


CaV  —1    What  of  the  early  Roman  meals?    2.  Of  the  grand  meal?    Tables  anrf 


286 


FOOD  AND   DRINK  OF  THL  KO.AIA.NS 


MARRIAGP;  AND  FUNERAL  CEREMONIES. 


287 


tile  ,  with  this  they  drank  usually  mead,  or  a  mixture  of  honey.  The 
second  course  formed  tlie  essential  part  of  the  meal.  Tiie  tliird  was 
the  dessert,  consisting  of  fruits,  pastry  and  confectionary. 

4.  In  social  banquets  it  was  customary  to  appoint  a  master  of  the 
feast,  who  seems  to  have  been  chosen  by  a  throw  of  the  dice 
Healths  were  drank,  the  memory  of  the  gods  and  heroes  being  usually 
honored  in  the  first  place.  Social  games  or  plays  were  practist^d, 
not  only  after  but  durinp  .he  meal,  between  the  dillerent  courses  and 
dishes. 

5.  In  the  time  of  the  republic,  it  was  customary  for  a  patron  occa- 
sionally to  invite  all  his  clients  to  a  common  supper  in  his  halls, 
l!  nder  the  emperors,  it  became  usual  to  give  to  the  clients,  instead  of 
a  supper,  a  small  basket  of  food. 


iii}!><i'.->>iu  II  te  ~ 


Feast  of  January.     Ladies  receiving  Presents. 

6.  Wine  was  the  beverage  chiefly  used  by  the  Roman??,  and  of  this 
article  they  had  innumerable  varieties.  Of  the  Italian  wines,  the  most 
celebrated  were  the  Falernian  and  the  Massic.  Of  the  foreign  sorts, 
the  Lesbian  and  Chian  were  preferred.  Scarcely  anything  .<^eems  to 
have  been  more  important  to  the  wealthy  Roman,  in  all  his  arrange- 
ments for  domestic  comfort,  than  to  be  well  f*  rnished  with  choice  and 
approved  wines. 

7.  Hence  great  attention  was  paid  to  the  cultivation  of  the  vine, 
even  to  the  neglect  of  other  branches  of  agriculture.  The  wine  waa 
usually  kept  in  amphora,  or  earthen  jars,  wliich  were  ranged  round 
the  walls  of  the  cellar,  partly  sunk  in  sand,  each  one  having  a  mark  to 
denote  the  name  of  the  consul  who  was  in  oflice  when  the  wine  was 
made. 


8.  The  villa  of  Diomedes,  in  Pompeii,  has  a  very  ^arge  cellar, 
extendir.g  round  and  under  the  whole  garden,  and  lighted  and  venti- 
lated by  port-holes  from  above.  Some  of  the  wine-jars  still  stand  as 
ihey  were  packed  and  labelled  more  than  seventeen  hundred  veara 
•ffo  ^ 


Marriage  and  Funeral  Ceremonies  of  the  Romans. 


Roman  Marriage. 

1.  Marriages  among  the  Romans  were  always  preceded  by  a  sol- 
emn affiance  or  betrothment,  which  often  took  place  many  years 
before  the  wedding,  and  even  during  the  childhood  of  the  parties. 

2.  On  the  day  of  marriage  the  bride  was  adorned  with  a  sort  of 
veil,  and  a  robe  prepared  for  the  occasion,  which  was  bound  around 
the  waist  by  a  marriage  girdle.  She  was  taken,  as  it  were,  forcibly, 
from  the  arms  of  her  mother  or  nearest  relative 

3.  She  carried  a  distaff  in  her  hand,  and  was  careful  to  step  over, 
or  be  carried  over,  the  threshold  of  both  houses,  as  it  was  ominous  to 
touch  it  whh  the  feet.  She  was  supported  by  two  youths,  one  on 
each  side  ;  another  preceded  her  with  alighted  torch  or  flambeau,  and 
iometimes  a  fourth  followed,  carrying,  in  a  covered  vase,  the  bride's 
furn'ture. 

4  She  bound  the  doorposts  of  her  new  residence  with  white  wool- 
len fillets,  and  anointed  them  with  the  fat  of  wolves.  She  then 
itepped  upon  a  sheepskin  spread  before  the  entrance,  and  called  alouc? 


coiichesi    3.  Suppers  of  ihe  rich?     4.  Socinl  Innqiieis?    5.  Of  a  patron's  diiine"'    6,7 
Of  Reman  wines  7    8.  Of  the  wine-cellar  of  Diuuiede^  i 


CCV.  —  1.  Of  R>man  marriages?    2.  The  bride?    3.  Her  distaff,  &c.  ?    4.  The  doo? 


2S8 


MAimiAGE  AND  FUNERAL  CEREMONIES. 


for  the  bridegroom,  who  immediately  came  and  offered  her  the  kej 
of  the  house,  which  she  deHveved  over  to  the  chief  servant. 

5.  The  huskuid  and  wife  then  touched  fire  and  water,  as  a  syinho 
of  purity  and  nuptial  fidelity.  Music,  singing  and  feasting  followed 
md  the  husband,  after  supper,  scattered  nuts  among  the  bo3'8. 


W;'-.       <       iv,      :'f 


Funeral.  •    Procession  by'  Torchlight. 

(5.  When  a  Roman  died,  his  body  was  exposed  on  a  bier  if  Ae 
Tcstibule  of  the  house  for  some  days.  During  this  time  there  wore 
frequent  and  loud  outcries,  accompanied  by  the  strongest  expressions 
of  grief.  A  branch  of  cypress  or  pine  was  usually  fixed  before  the 
door  of  the  house. 

7.  Children  and  youth  were  interred  by  night,  with  lighted  torches, 
and  without  attendants  ;  but  adults  by  dav,  and  with  more  or  less 
ceremony,  according  to  their  rank.  The  funeral  of  a  distinguished 
person  was  previously  announced  in  the  city  by  a  herald. 

8.  In  the  procession,  the  musicians  and  women  hired  as  mourners 
advanced  first,  uttering  lamentations,  and  singing  the  funeral  song. 
Next  came  those  who  bore  the  images  of  the  ancestors  of  th»i  de- 
ceased. Next  the  relatives,  all  in  black.  Then  followed  players, 
mimics  and  dancers,  one  of  them  imitating  the  words  and  actions  of 
the  deceased.  After  these  came  the  corpse,  supported  by  bearers, 
and  followed  by  a  numerous  train  of  both  sexes. 

9.  The  place  of  burning  or  burial  was  always  without  the  city. 
When  the  corpse  was  to  be  burnt,  it  was  laid  on  the  funeral  pile,  and 
sprinkled  with  spices,  or  anointed  with  oil ;  the  nearest  relatives  then 
applied  the  torch,  with  averted  faces. 

10.  Weapons,  garments,  and  other  things  possessed  by  the  deceased, 


po3t?    5.  Of  firn  and  water?    6.  Roman  funerals? 
procession?    9  10.  Of  burning  and  burial? 


7.  Children's  funemlsi    8.  The 


ROl.AN   MILITARY  ART- THE  LEGION. 


28^ 


•vere  tnrown  upon  the  pile,  and  when  the  whole  was  consumed,  thf 
embers  were  quenched  with  wine.  The  bones  and  ashes  wore  after- 
wards collected  and  deposited  in  an  urn,  sometimes  with  a  sm.il' 
phial  of  tears.  The  urn  was  solemnly  deposited  in  the  eartji  o-  a 
tomb. 


CHAPTER   CCVl. 

Roman  Military  Art.  —  The  Legion. 


General  and  Soldiers 

1.  A  Roman  legion  was  drawn  up  in  three  ranks,  called  the  Has- 
ifiii,  the  Principcs^  and  the  Triarii.  In  addition  to  these  were  hght 
(roops,  who  detached  themselves  from  the  main  body  at  the  beginning 
of  a  battle,  and  skirmished  with  missile  weapons. 

2.  The  Hastati  were  young  men  in  the  flower  of  life,  and  occupy- 
ing the  front  rank  ;  the  Principes  were  men  in  the  full  vigor  of  middle 
age,  standing  in  the  second  line ;  the  Triarii  were  veterans,  consti- 
tuting the  rear  rank.  The  legion  was  divided  into  maniples,  or  com- 
panies, each  commanded  by  a  centurion,  and  having  its  own  standard, 
consisting  of  a  silver  eagle  on  a  pole. 

'.I.  A  legion  consis'^ed  generally  of  about  five  thousand  men.     The 
weapons  differed  according  to  the  rank  of  the  soldier.     The  velites, 
Dr  light  troops,  had  a  small,  round  shield,  a  javelin,  and  a  helmet  of 
leather.     The  Hastati  had  a  large  shield  of  wood,  leather  and  iron 
a  short,  but  stiff  and  pointed  sword,  which  was  worn  on  the  right 


CCVI.  —  1.  How  was  a  lei^ion  drawn  U]  ?     2.  Of  the  hnslali,  tho  principes.  and  lh< 
triaHi.  and  the  maniples?  3.  What  wa?  the  lumber  of  men  in  a  legion?  Whaiweopoin 

19 


.^^fliii.«1lrii-rnih««--^.-^.»B''..- 


290 


ROMAN  MILITARY  ART -THE  LEGnjN. 


side,  two  javelins,  an  iron  or  brazen  helmet,  greaves  for  the  les^. 
plated  with  iron,  and  a  coat  of  mail,  formed  of  metal  or  hide,  wcrked 
over  with  little  hooks  of  iron. 


MAKCH   AND   ENCAINIPiMKNT  OF  A  ROMAN   ARMY. 


291 


Roman  Armor. 

4.  The  Principes  and  TViarii  used  weapons  of  the  same  kind,  ex- 
3ept  some  difference  in  the  spears  and  swords.  The  shield  was 
marked  with  the  name  of  the  soldier,  and  the  number  of  the  legion 
and  maniple  to  which  he  belonged  ;  whoever  returned  from  battle 
without  his  shield,  forfeited  his  life. 

5.  The  cavalry  had  weapons  very  similar  to  the  last  described 
Horns  and   trumpets  were  the  only  instruments  of  martial  music. 
No  one  could  be  a  soldier  under  seventeen  years  of  age.     All  between 
seventeen  and  forty-five  were  liable  to  ^erve ;  those  above  the  latter 
fge  were  exempted. 

(J.  The  regular  term  of  service  was  sixteen  years  for  the  foot  sol- 
diers, and  ten  for  cavalry.  Persons  of  no  property  were  not  enrolled 
for  service,  because,  havijg  nothing  to  lose,  they  were  not  supposed 
to  possess  sufficient  bravery  and  patriotism. 

7.  For  three  hundred  years  after  the  foundation  of  the  city,  the 
soldiers  received  no  pay;  afterwards  a  stipend  was  allowed  them, 
of  two  bushels  of  wheat  a  month,  and  three  ounces  of  brass  a  day ; 
this  pay  was  subsequently  increased. 

8.  Various  extraordinary  rewards  were  given  to  those  who  distin- 
guished themselves  in  war.  Golden  and  gilded  crowns  were  common 
as  the  camp-crown  for  him  who  first  entered  the  enemy's  entrench 

were  used'*    6.  Cavalry?    Who  were  liable  to  serve  in  the  army?    7.  Of  paying  ih* 
■oUliera?     9.  Rewards,  crowna,  &c.  ? 


ineiils.  the  mural  crown  for  him  who  first  scaled  the  walls  of  a  city 
the  naval  crown  for  capturing  a  ship  of  war ;  also  wreaths  and  crown* 
formed  of  leaves  and  blossoms ;  as  the  civic  crown  of  oak-leaves  foi 


Civic  Crowns. 

rescuing  a  citizen  from  death  or  captivity  ;  the  obsidional  crown,  of 
grass,  for  delivering  a  besieged  city  ;  the  triumphal  crown,  of  lame* 
vorn  by  a  general  at  his  triumph. 


CHAPTER   CCVII. 
Mar  en  and  Encampment  of  a  Roman  Ar?ny.  —  The  Navy 


Ceyitunon. 

I.    iHE  order  of  march,  when  a  Roman  army  moved  to  the  fieltf 
oi  int4)  the  camp,  was  as  follows.     The  light-armed  went  in  advance  • 


\l 


292 


MARCH  AND   ENCAMPMENT  OF  A  ROMAN   ARMY. 


then  followed  the  heavy-armed,  foot  and  horse  ;  then  the  pioneers 
*hen  the  bagg^age  of  the  general  and  his  horses,  guarded  by  cavalry , 
then  the  i^eneral  himself ;  tlien  the  tribunes  ;  after  these  follow(;d  the 
standards,  the  choice  men  of  the  army,  the  servants  and  drivers  of 
beasts 


BatTtmng  Engine. 

2.  In  attacking  fortified  towns,  battenng  rams  were  used.  The 
soldiers  were  drawn  up  into  a  testudo^  or  tortoise ;  this  was  an  ar- 
rangement in  which  they  stood  close  together,  raising  their  shields  s<; 
as  to  form  a  compact  covering  over  them,  like  the  scales  of  a  tortoise 

3.  No  part  of  the  discipline  was  more  admirable  than  the  encamp- 
ment. However  fatigued  the  soldiers  might  be  by  a  lon«j  march  or  a 
severe  battle,  the  camp  was  regularly  measured  out  and  fortified  by  a 
ditch,  before  any  one  was  allowed  sleep  or  refreshment.  It  was  an 
exact  square  of  four  hundred  feet,  with  a  rampart  of  earth,  and  stakes 
three  fe(n  high,  surrounded  by  a  ditch  nine  feet  wide  and  seven  deep. 

4.  Careful  watch  was  kept  during  the  night,  and  freciucnt  pic(|uets 
were  sent  out  to  guard  against  a  surprise,  and  to  see  that  the  senti- 
nels were  vigilant.     As  the  arrangf.ments  were  the  same  in   ever\ 
camp,  a  soldier  always  knew  his  proper  place,  and  if  an  alarnj  oc 
curred,  could  easily  find  the  rallying  point  of  his  division. 

5.  In  the  discipline  of  the  Roman  camp  the  soldiers  were  employed 
in  various  exercises,  from  which  an  army  was  called  in  Latin,  extrcitus. 
These  included  walking  and  running,  completely  armed,  leaping, 
swimmings  vaulting  upon  horses  of  wood,  shooting  the  arrow,  hurl- 
ing the  javelin,  carrying  weights,  attacking  the  wooden  image  of  a 
man  as  an  enemy,  &c. 

G.  It  was  essential  to  the  comfort  of  a  soldier  that  he  should  be 
able  to  walk  or  run  in  full  armor,  with   perfect  ease.     On  common 
marches  he  was  obliged  to  carry,  in  addition  to  his  arms,  a  load  con 
sistinrr  of  his  provisions  and  customary  utensils,  amounting  to  sixty 
pounds  weight. 


CCV[I.— 1.  How  ilid  a  Roman  army  march?    2,  Of  attacks?    3.  Encampmsnil 
i    Watches?    5.6.  Exercise-s?    7,8.  Roman  ships?    9.  Ships  -»f  war?     10.  0(  n»»'a/ 

OQtllAS  ? 


THE  NAVY 


293 


/.  The   Roman  ships  weic  of  three  kinas,  the  war-gailey,  the 
ransport,  and  the  ship  of  burden.     The  first  was  propelled  chiefly 


War  Galley. 

by  oavi  ;  the  second  was  often  towed  by  the  war-galley,  and  i\\e  Itiiid 
depended  on  her  sails. 


Eoman  Ships. 

8    Ships  of  burden  were  commo'ily  much  inferir-  in  size  to  mod 

23* 


t>94 


ROMAN   rUlUlMPHS. 


om  merchant  ships,  although  some  are  mentioned  of  vast  length  •  ir 
the  reign  of  Caligula,  a  great  obelisk  was  carried  from  Egypt  tc 
Rome,  in  a  ship  which  must  have  been  of  more  than  one  thousand 
tons  burden. 

9.  Ships  of  war  had  sometimes  five  rows  of  oars.     Some  ha<l 
turrets  for  soldiers  and  warlike  engines.     Others  had  sharp  prows 
covered  with  brass  fojr  the  purpose  of  dashing  against  their  enemies 
The  naval  tactics  of  the  ancients  were  very  simple. 

10.  The  ships  came  immediately  to  close  action,  and  the  battle 
be:;ame  a  contest  between  single  vessels.  It  was  on  this  account  that 
the  personal  valor  of  the  Romans  proved  more  than  a  match  for  the 
naval  skill  of  the  Carthaginians,  and  enabled  them  to  add  the  empiif 
of  the  sea  to  that  of  the  land.  /  *  ■       c^] 


CHAPTER   CCVIIl. 

Roman  Triumphs, 


cJ^iJy^ 


f 


Triumphal  Procession, 

1.  A  Roman  general  who  had  gained  a  great  battle,  or  conquered 
any  considerable  nation,  was  allowed  the  honors  of  a  triumph.  Of 
these  there  were  two  kinds,  the  lesser  triumph,  called  an  ovation^  and 
the  greater,  called  emphatically  the  triumph. 

2.  The  ovation  was  granted  for  inferior  services,  as  to  a  command- 
e\  who  had  averted  hostilities  or  dangers  which  had  threatened  the 
Roman  stale,  or  who  had  gained  some  important  military  advantage 
without  inflicting  a  great  loss  upon  the  enemy.  In  this  case  the 
victorious  general  entered  the  city  on  foot,  wearing  a  crown  of  myrtle. 


CCVIIl.  — 1.  What  of  triumphal  honors?    2.  r:ie  ovation?    3.  The  triumph?    T« 


ROM^N  TRIUMrHS. 


296 


3    The  triumph  was  granted  to  those  \^  ho  gained  some  very  signa 
ri-t!»rv  '  which  decided  the  fate  of  a  long  or  dangerous  war.     In  sucl 
>stiir%s  the  triumphing  general  was  borne  mto  the  city  m  a  military 
;>h;^ri*^,  "vearing  a  crown  of  laurel,  and  attended  by  an  immense  pro- 
ftfciU5ii»u'  ei:hibiting  captives,  spoils  of  war,  &c 


Car  of  Triumph.  ^ 

4  The  following  description,  extracted  from  PKtn  'h,  of  the  great 
triumph  granted  to  PauUus  .T.milius,  for  his  glorious  f^rmmation  of 
the  Macedonian  war,  will  give  the  reaxler  an  adequ^t.  idea  of  the 
splendor  displayed  by  the  Romans  on  these  festive  occasivT.s. 
^5  The  people  erected  scafTolds  in  the  forum  ^nd  ciirvs,  and  a^ 
other  parts  of  the  citv  where  tney  could  best  behold  the  poni  •  1  he 
spec  a?oJ^were  clad  in  white  gar'ments ;  all  the  temples  wei.  open, 
and  full  of  garlands  and  perfumes;  the  ways  were  clea  c  1  am 
cleansed  by  a  great  many  officers,  who  drove  away  such  as  thro.jc. 

^'7  tT^ triuTpriLtd  trelSTon  the  first,  which  was  scar... 
onff  enough  for  the  sight,  were  to  be  seen  the  statues,  pictures,  ar. 
Ta^s  of  an  extraordina;y  size,  which  were  taken  from  the  enemy 
drawn  upon  seven  hundred  and  fifty  chariots. 

7.  On  the  second,  was  carried  in  a  great  many  wagon^,  »•«  ff^^^;? 
and  richest  armor  of  the  Macedonians,  both  of  brass  and  steel,  all 
newly  furbished  and  glittering;  which,  although  piled  up  wi  h  the 
Ss  art  and  order,'yet  seemed  to  be  tumbled  on  Heaps  care  essly 
and  bv  chance ;  helmets  were  thrown  on  shields ;  coats  of  mail 
Tpon  Laves  ;  Cretan  targets  and  Thracian  bucklers  and  qtnvers  of 
Tows,  lay  huddled  among  the  horses' bits  ;  and  through  these  ap- 
peared  the  points  of  naked  swords,  intermixed  with  long  spears. 


l^T  T^^;.  J^t^^^ai^  ^«^J::S^S^f  a 'i^rU^e^r^?  T^^ 


296 


ROMAN'   TiilUMPHS. 


8.  All  these  arms  were  tied  together  with  such  a  just  liberty  thai 
they  knocked  against  one  another  as  they  were  drawn  aloncr'  and 
made  a  harsh  and  terrible  noise,  so  that  the  very  spoils  of  the  con- 
quered could  not  be  beheld  without  dread. 

9.  After  these  wagons  loaded  with  armor,  followed  three  thoucand 
men,  who  carried  the  silver  that  was  coined,  in  seven  hundred  and 
filty  vessels,  each  of  which  weighed  three  talents  and  was  carried  by 
^our  men.  Others  brought  silver  bowls,  and  goblets,  and  cups,  ill 
disposed  in  such  order  as  to  make  the  best  show,  and  all  valuable  as 
well  for  their  magnitude  as  the  thickness  of  their  engraved  work 

10.  On  the  third  day,  early  in  the  morning,  first  came  the  trumpet 
ers,  who  did  not  sound  as  they  were  wont  in  a  procession  or  solemn 
entry,  but  such  a  charge  as  the  Romans  use  when  they  encourage 
their  soldiers  to  fight.  Next  followed  young  men,  girt  about  with 
girdles  curiously  wrought,  who  led  to  the  sacrifice  one  hundred  and 
twenty  stalled  oxen,  with  their  horns  gilded,  and  their  heads  adorned 
with  ribands  and  garlands,  and  with  these  were  boys  that  carried 
dishes  of  silver  and  gold. 

11.  After  these  was  brought  the  gold  coin,  which  was  divided  into 
vessels  that  weighed  three  talents  each,  similar  to  those  that  contained 
the  Sliver ;  they  were  in  number  fourscore,  wanting  three.  These 
xvere  followed  by  thr;so  that  brought  the  consecnaed  bowl,  which 
ail^railius  caused  to  be  made,  that  weighed  ten  talents,  and  was  adorned 
with  precious  stones.  Then  were  exposed  to  view  the  cups  of  An- 
tigonus  and  Seleucus,  and  such  as  were  made  after  the  fashion 
invented  by  Thericles,  and  all  the  gold  plate  that  was  used  at  the 
table  of  rerseus. 

12.  Next  to  these  came  the  chariot  of  Perseus,  in  which  his  armor 
was  placed,  and  on  that  his  diadem.  After  a  little  intermission  the 
king  s  children  were  led  captives,  and  with  them  a  train  of  nurse? 
masters,  and  governors,  who  all  wept,  and  stretched  forth  their  hands 
to  the  spectators,  and  taught  the  little  infants  to  beg  and  entreat  their 
compassion. 

13.  There  were  two  sons  and  a  daughter  of  the  king,  who,  by 
reason  of  their  tender  age,  were  altogether  insensible  of  the  greatness 
of  their  misery;  which  insensibility  of  their  condition  rendered  it 
much  more  deplorable,  insomuch  that  Perseus  himself  was  scarcely 
regarded  as  he  went  along,  whilst  pity  had  fixed  the  eyes  of  the 
Komans  upon  the  infants,  and  many  of  them  could  not  forbear  tears  • 
all  beheld  the  sight  with  a  mixture  of  sorrow  and  joy  until  the  chil- 
dren were  past. 

14.  After  his  children  and  attendants,  came  Perseus  himself,  clad 
m  black  and  wearing  slippers,  after  the  fashion  of  his  country  ;  he 
looked  like  one  altogether  astonished,  and  deprived  of  reason,  iUnmnU 
the  greatness  of  Ins  misfortune.  Next  followed  a  great  company  of 
his  friends  and  familiars,  whose  countenances  were  disfigured  v\ii|j 
grief,  and  who  testified  to  all  that  beheld  them,  by  their  tears  and  their 
cominual  looking  upon  Perseus,  that  it  was  his  hard  fortune  they  so 
much  lamented,  and  that  they  were  regardless  of  their  own 


f^TK  ^'T'.f^*^- 1  i^   The  third  day  ?    The  sacrifires.  &c.  V     II.  The  cMd  coin  &c  1 


ODOACER  —  THEODORIC  -  BELISARIUS. 


25)7 


15.  After  these  were  carried  four  hundred  crowns  of  gold,  sent 
from  the  cities  by  their  respective  ambassadors  to  -^milius,  as  a 
reward  di;e  to  his  valor.  Then  he  himself  came,  seated  on  a  chariot 
magnificently  adorned,  (a  man  worthy  to  be  beheld  even  without 
Uiese  ensigns  of  power,)  clad  in  a  garment  of  purple  interwoven  with 
gold,  and  with  a  laurel  branch  in  his  right  hand. 

16.  All  the  army,  in  like  manner,  with  boughs  of  laurel  in  theii 
hands,  and  divided  into  bands  and  companies,  followed  the  chariot  of 
their  commander  ;  some  singing  odes,  according  to  the  usaal  custom 
mingled  with  raillery  ;  others,  songs  of  triumph  and  the  praises  of 
<'Emilius,  who  was  admired  and  accounted  happy  by  all  men,  vet 
•men vied  by  every  one  that  was  good. 


MODERN    ITALt 


CHAPTER   CCIX. 

Odoacer.  —  Theodoric.  —  Belisarius, 


1.  Hardly  any  period  in  the  annals  of  the  human  race  presents  to 
the  historical  student  a  scene  of  greater  confusion  than  the  century 
which  followed  the  overthrow  of  the  Western  Empire.  The  differ 
ent  hordes  of  barbarians,  pursuing  no  definite  plan,  established  sepa 
rate  monarchies  in  the  dismembered  provinces,  engaged  in  sanguinary 
wars  that  had  no  object  but  plunder,  and  were  too  ignorant  to  form 
anything  like  a  political  system. 

2.  There  is,  consequently,  a  want  of  unity  in  the  history  of  a  time 
when  nations  ceased  to  have  any  fixed  relations  to  each  other ;  and 
the  narrative  must  appear  desultory  and  digressive,  until  some  one 
state,  rising  into  command,  assumes  such  importance  that  the  fate  of 
all  the  rest  may  be  connected  with  its  destinies. 

3.  Odoacer,  having  assumed  the  title  of  king  of  Italy,  fixed  his 
capital  at  Ravenna,  a  city  which  at  this  time  almost  equalled  Rome 
in  magnificence.  He  distributed  a  portion  of  the  conquered  land 
among  his  soldiers,  assigning  them  also  the  people  upon  it,  who  thus 
became  the  slaves  of  the  conquerors.  But  as  ihe  peasantry  of  Italy 
had  been  in  no  better  condition  under  iheir  former  masters,  the  change 
ot  government  made  little  difference  to  them. 

4.  Odoacer  and  his  Heruli,  however,  did  not  long  enjoy  their  con- 
quest. Tlie  Ostrogoths,  who  had  established  themselves  in  Noricum 
and  Pannonia,  soon  invaded  Italy  under  their  king,  Theodoric.  Odo- 
irer  was  defeated  and  killed,  and  Theodoric  became  king  of  Italy, 
where  he  reigned  with  great  glory  for  thirty-five  years. 

6.   During  this  period  the  Italians  enjoyed  more  prosperity  and 

CCIX.  —1.  What  followed  llie  overthrow  of  the  westtrn  empire  I    2.  What  ot  •^ 


2:)8 


ODOAULR  -  THEODORIC  —  BELISAKIUS. 


THE  LOMBARDS 


299 


happiness  tnan  they  had  known  for  a  long  time  previous.  Tlie  citiea 
were  left  in  possession  of  their  own  laws,  religion,  and  municipal 
government.  They  continued  to  choose  their  own  magistrates,  and 
their  property  was  preserved  untouched.  Far  from  destroying  what 
remained  of  the  works  of  art  with  which  the  Romans  had  adorned 
every  part  of  Italy,  Theodoric  established  a  fund  for  the  repair  of 
public  buildings,  and  gave  great  encouragement  to  men  of  taste  aiid 
talents. 


Odoacer 

ii.  The  reign  of  Theodoric  seems  to  have  been  a  golden  age 
l(Tf  the  Italians,  who  also  continued  to  enjoy  a  considerable  share  of 
prosperity  under  his  successors.  But  the  }5yzantine  emperor,  Jus- 
tinian, A.  D.  53.5,  sent  his  armies  into  Italy,  under  the  command  of 
Helisarius,  the  most  renowned  general  of  the  age. 

7.  Italy  was  again  desolated  by  war.  Belisarius  gained  many 
great  victories,  and  took  possession  of  Rome.  But  he  was  recalled, 
in  the  midst  of  his  successes,  to  take  the  command  of  an  expedition 
against  Persia,  and  his  place  was  supplied  by  Narses,  another  great 
general,  who  completed  the  conquest  which  the  former  had  begun. 

8.  The  last  Gothic  king  was  slain  in  battle.  Italy  w:ts  once  more 
under  the  dominion  of  the  Cajsars.     Narses  was  appointed  governor, 


•^ith  th(»  title  of  Exarch,  and  fixed  his  residence  at  Ravenna.     He 
exercised  all  tht   authorif^  of  a  sovereign   prince  for  about  fiftec 
years,  when  a  new  enemy  appeared. 


CHAPTER   CCX. 
The  Lombards, 

1  These  were  the  Lombards,  who  caiae  originally  from  the  north 
•»f  Germany.  When  they  invaded  Italy  they  were  governed  by  a 
chief  named  All)oin,  one  of  the  greatest  pri  ices  of  his  time,  both  as  a 
warrior  and  a  legislator.  j  u 

2  He  crossed  the  Alps  with  a  powerful  army,  conquered,  one  by 
one,  all  the  provinces  in  the  north  of  Italy,  and  founded  the  new  king- 
dom of  Loml)ardy,  which  afterward  comprised  a  considerable  part  ot 
the  middle  and  southern  provinces.  ^     .^    ,    •        r  td     • 

3  Alboin  selected  for  his  capital  the  large  fortified  city  of  I'avia. 
He  introduced  the  feudal  system  into  his  new  dominions,  by  granting 
lar^e  fiefs  to  his  chief  warriors.  These  took  the  title  of  Dukes, 
and  in  time  grew  very  powerful,  ruling/  over  their  own  domains  as 
independent  princes.  Each  built  a  strong  castle  for  himself,  and  gave 
estates  to  his  chief  vassals,  who  were  called  Counts,  and  were  bound 
tofollowthestandardoftheir  lord  in  war.  ,     ,     .•  i 

4  In  the  mean  time  tlie  popes,  who  were  originally  only  the  bishops 
)f  Rome,  were  gradually  rising  to  a  much  higher  degree  .if  temporal 
power,    in  consequence  of  the  progress  of  the  Christian  religion 
which  the  Romans  had  contributed  to  spread  over  the  greater  part  ot 

'T  A  schism  took  place  between  the  Greek  and  the  Latin  church 
anil'thc  officers  of  the  Greek  emperor  attempting  to  enforce  certair 
recrulations  in  the  city  of  Rome,  the  people  rose  in  insurrection,  threv^ 
off  their  dependence  on  the  Byzantine  empire,  and  established  a  new 
republic,  placing  the  pope  at  their  head. 

G  Very  soon  afterward,  the  Lombards  captured  Ravenna,  and  pu\ 
an  end  to  the  government  of  the  exarchs.  They  then  attempted  t( 
subject  Rome  to  their  dominion.  In  this  emergency,  the  pope  and 
lis  senate  applied  to  Pepin,  king  of  France,  for  his  assistance.  1  his 
was  readily  granted,  as  Pepin  was  very  anxious  that  the  pope  should 
confirm  his  title  to  the  throne  of  France,  which  he  had  just  usurped. 

7  Pepin,  accompanied  by  his  eon,  the  renowned  Charlemagne, 
led  an  army  into  Italy,  and  totally  defeated  the  Lombards,  from  whom 
he  took  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  which  he  added  to  the  see  ot 
Rome  This  event  took  place  about  the  middle  of  the  eighth  cen- 
tury and  had  a  great  effect  on  the  religion  and  government  ot  Europe 
for  manv  a^es,  as  it  was  the  beginning  of  that  absolute  power  exer- 


iiistory  of  I  lis  period?     3.  Of  Odoacer?    4.  The  Oslro^oths?    fj.  Of  Tialy  during  IhU 
period,  ijuUer  Theodoric  ?     6.  Of  Jus'ii- iaii  ?     7.  Belisarius?     8.  Narses? 


CCX-i    Who  were  the  Lombards?    2.  Of  the  kin-dom  ofLombardy  ?    J.  Of  Alboiii 
jVr    f-.!ui  av=t^m?    4    The  Donesi     5.  The  sch  sm  m  the  church?     6    Of  Pepii 
*.:!  ;t;:  £;',irL  1    7   or  iL  vK;  or  Pe,,in  and  Cl,arle,nag„e  iu  Italy  3    8.  .;.»r.» 
Tiagiie'a  empire/ 


]U() 


CIIAULEMAGNE-  FREDERIC  HARRaROS'^A 


CHARLEMAGNE -FREDERIC  BAKBAROSSA. 


301 


cise4  ill  jfier  times  over  all  sovereign  princes  and  their  dominions,  bt 
.lie  RoLian  pontiff. 

8.  The  victories  of  Pepin  prepared  the  way  for  the  overthrow  of 
the  Lonil)ard  monarchy,  which  was  terminated  by  his  successor, 
Charlemaj^ne,  the  greatest  conqueror  of  the  anre.  He  united  in  one 
vast  empire,  France,  Germany,  and  nearly  the  wiiole  of  Italy.  The 
last  kinjj  of  the  Lowihards  was  made  prisoner,  and  sent  with  his  wife 
and  children  into  France,  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  then 
•lays  m  captivity. 


oMa^  ^10^ 


CHAPTER   CCXI.      / 

Charlemagne,  —  Frederic  Barharossa, 

1.  A.vioNG  the  few  states  that  preserved  their  independence  during 
the  dominion  of  the  Lombards,  was  that  of  the  Venetians,  who,  from 
a  few  poor  fishermen,  had  become  the  most  distinjruished  trading- 
people  in  Europe.  The  wars  had  driven  many  wealthy  families  to 
take  refuge  on  their  little  islands,  which  were  then  governed  by  a 
doi^e,  or  duke. 

2.  Their  vessels  made  regular  voyages  to  Constantinople,  fiom 
whence  they  brought  silks,  spices  and  furs.  They  also  made  great 
|»r()fit  by  trading  in  slaves,  whom  they  purchased  in  the  Greek  slave- 
markets  and  sold  to  the  Saracens,  of  Africa. 

3.  Cliarlemagne  was  not  only  crowned  king  of  the  Lombard  states, 
but  was  also  declared  emperor  of  the  Romans,  a  title  that  had  been 
extinct  more  than  three  hundred  years.  During  his  reign,  the  feudal 
system  was  carried  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  it  had  been  in  the 
time  of  the  Lombards.  The  whole  country  was  filled  with  castles,  in 
which  the  feudal  lords  resided. 

4.  After  the  death  of  Charlemagne,  in  814,  Italy  continued  to  be 
i?overned  by  his  successors,  till  888,  when  it  was  detached  from  the 
Frankish  empire,  and  became  a  separate  kingdom.  For  seventy 
years  it  was  independent,  being  governed  by  native  sovereigns,  elected 
by  the  nobles  and  clergy. 

5.  After  this,  the  cities  and  states  began  to  form  themselves  into 
republics,  each  governed  by  a  duke  and  senators.  The  Saracens,  in 
the  mean  time,  made  themselves  masters  of  Sicily  and  the  south  of 
Italy.  In  901  the  German  emperor  was  acknowledged  as  sovereign 
of  Italy,  and  though  he  had  very  little  authority  here,  he  long  retained 
a  nominal  dominion  over  the  Italian  states. 

6.  The  emperors  did  not  often  visit  their  Italian  dominions,  unless 
called  thither  by  an  act  of  rebellion  which  threatened  to  subvert  then 
authority.  Sometimes  a  general  parliament  was  held  in  the  plains 
near  Placentia,  to  which  the  emperor  repaired,  always  with  a  power- 


/ 


(.CXI.  —  1.  Of  the  Venetians  ?  2.  Their  connnierce  ?  3.  Charlemagne's  titles  and  th« 
fetidal  system  ?  4.  Of  Italy  ifier  \\\s  death  .'  5.  Of  the  independent  republics  of  Italy  ? 
t)l  ili«  Saracens?    6,  7    The  enj[>erors  and  their  jwriiamenls  ?    8.  What  were  the  mosl 


}\ 


i 


ful  army  ;  and  here  he  received  the  homage  of  the  dukes,  and  promul- 
ga  «d  laws  for  the  government  of  Italy. 

7.  This  assembly  was  attended  by  the  nobles,  clergy,  and  magis- 
trates  of  the  cities,  who  were  all  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegi 
ance  to  the  sovereign,  which  very  few  of  them  observed  very  strictly. 

8.  The  most  opulent  cities  at  this  time  were  Venice,  Genoa  and 
Pisa,  all  of  which  had  a  number  of  small  states  dependent  on  them, 
belonging  to  different  counts,  marquises,  and  lords  of  castles,  who, 
during  the  civil  wars,  were  glad  to  place  themselves  under  the  pro- 
lection  of  more  powerful  states. 

9.  The  number  of  these  rapidly  increased,  for  every  city  had  now 
its  own  military  force,  was  encompassed  by  a  wall,  and  defended 
by  a  citadel  or  tower,  to  which  the  inhabitants  could  retire  in  case 
of  emergency.  Many  of  the  nobles  lived  in  castles  on  their  own 
domains,  and  they  had  also  their  armies,  composed  of  the  numerous 
dependents  who  crowded  their  castle  halls,  and  the  peasants  that  dwelt 

on  their  lands. 

10.  Sentiments  of  republican  freedom  now  arose  among  the  Italians, 
and  a  desire  to  assert  their  independence  of  the  German  empire  had 
become  manifest,  when  Frederic  Barbarossa  was  elected  emperor,  in 
1152.  The  claims  of  the  German  monarchs  to  the  sovereignty  of 
Italy  had  continued,  though  the  utmost  military  power  of  the  empire 
was  incompetent  to  enforce  them.  Frederic  spent  thirty-three  years 
of  his  life  in  a  costly,  desolating,  and  unsuccessful  war,  to  obtain  tho 
mastery  over  the  Italian  states. 

11.  He  crossed  the  Alps  six  times  with  powerful  armies,  and 
although  he  committed  dreadful  ravages  in  this  country,  and  totally 
destroyed  the  rich  and  powerful  city  of  Milan,  yet  in  the  end  he  \\;t5 
defeated  with  ignominy,  and  forced  to  concede  to  the  Italian  stattfi 
the  right  of  independent  self-government. 

12.  In  the  south  of  the  peninsula  the  kingdom  of  Naples  arose  from 
small  beginnings,  under  the  Norman  adventurers,  in  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury. A  small  band  of  these  brave  and  enterprising  warriors,  on  their 
way  to  the  Holy  Land,  visited  Amalfi  about  the  year  1025. 

13.  They  were  ready  for  any  enterprise  which  promised  glory  or 
wealth,  and  were  consequently  invited  to  engage  in  the  wars  then 
raging  in  Italy.  Their  success  attracted  other  adventurers  from 
Normandy,  and  their  numbers  so  increased  that  they  were  soon 
enabled  to  become  masters  of  a  large  portion  of  the  south  of  Italy, 
including  the  city  of  Naples  and  its  territories.  Such  was  the  found- 
ation of  the  kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies. 


Dpulenl  cities?  9.  Of  the  nobles?  10.  Of  republican  freedom?  Of  Frederic  Brirki 
rossa?  11.  Of  his  wars?  12.  The  kingdom  of  Naples?  3.  The  Normans  it 
Italy? 

S6 


302 


THE  GULLPHS  AND  GHIBEL  LINES. 


CHAPTER  ^^gCXIL] 

The  (hielpks  and  Ghibellines, 

1.  About  the  close  of  the  twelfth  century  arose  the  struj^fiiP 
between  the  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines,  which  disturbed  the  peace  of 
Italy  fer  a  long  series  of  years.  These  two  parties  were  founded  ofi 
the  rival  interests  of  the  pope  and  the  emperor  of  Germany. 

2.  No  sooner  were  the  Italians  freed  from  a  foreign  enemy  than 
their  ancient  intestine  quarrels  were  renewed  with  more  violence  than 
ever.  Yet  the  general  state  of  Italy  at  this  period,  notwithstanding 
its  internal  troubles,  is  described  as  being  far  more  prosperous  than 
that  of  any  other  European  nation. 

3.  The  open  country  was  well  cultivated  by  an  active,  industrious 
peasantry,  who  labored  for  their  own  benefit,  and  lived  in  comfort, 
taking  little  or  no  part  in  the  quarrels  of  the  great.  Rich  vineyards' 
fine  pastures,  and  abundant  cornfields,  were  everywhere  to  be  seen. 

4.  The  great  towns  presented  an  appearance  of  wealth  and  ele- 
gance not  to  be  found  elsewhere.  They  were  well  paved,  adorned 
with  fine  stone  buildings,  bridges,  aqueducts,  fountains,  &c.,  and 
filled  with  handsome  shops,  plentifully  stored  with  valuable  mer- 
chandise, brought  from  the  east  by  the  merchants  of  Venice,  Pisa 
Genoa,  and  other  commercial  states.  * 

5.  Although  the  numerous  Italian  republics,  of  which  there  were 
not  less  than  two  hundred,  had  been  left  at  liberty  to  govern  them- 
selves, the  iunperor  of  Germany  was  still  the  acknowledged  sovereign 
ot  them  all.  He  possessed  the  right  of  granting  or  taking  away  poV 
ular  privileges.  J  i    f 

6.  This  power  was  also  claimed  by  the  pope  ;  and  as  both  had  their 
partisans,  the  whole  country  was  drawn  into  the  quarrel  between  the 
Guelphs  and  Ghibellines,  the  former  taking  sides  with  the  pope,  and 
the  latter  with  the  emperor.  Among  the  Ghibellines  were  a  great 
many  nobles  living  in  castles  among  the  mountains,  built  in  stronrr 
places.  " 

7.  Here  they  kept  numerous  bands  of  retainers,  and  exercised  a 
sort  of  sovereignty  over  the  surrounding  country.  Most  of  these 
nobles  espoused  the  cause  of  the  emperor,  because  they  preferred  to 
live  under  nominal  subjection  to  a  prince  whose  absence  from  the 
country  left  them  at  liberty  to  do  as  they  pleased. 

8.  The  inhabitants  of  the  cities,  on  the  other  hand,  were  in  rren- 
eral  Guelphs,  because  they  looked  up  to  the  pope  to  defend  their 
rights  from  being  usurped  by  the  emperors.  There  were,  however, 
many  Ghibelline  nobles,  who,  in  consequence  of  not  having  castles 
strong  enough  to  resist  an  attack,  or  from  other  canses,  chos'e  to  live 
under  the  laws  of  the  republics,  and  reside  within  the  precincts  of  the 
•owns. 


I,  ™",~V  Of  thatruelphaandGhibellines?  2.  Their  quarrels?  3.  Cultivaiic 
luy/  4  1  he  great  t(»wns  y  5  The  repuhiics  ami  their  nrivileeea'J  6  7  The 
*od  iheir  partisans  ;     The  nohles  ?     S.  Inhabitants  of  the  cities  J 


ion  i- 
H»neii 


CIVIL  WARS  IN  ITALY. 


30r3 


CHAPTER  ^bcXin?! 
Cwil  Wars  m  Italy. 

1  In  these  towns  the  Ghibelline  nobles  erected,  for  their  own 
aefence,  dwellings  with  thick  walls,  strong  towers,  high,  narro^^ 
windows,  and  heavy  doors  of  oak,  secured  by  massive  bolts  and  bars. 
The  Guelph  nobles,  of  course,  followed  the  example  of  fortiiying 
their  houses,  and  civil  war  was  thus  introduced  into  the  cities  ot  lus- 
cany  and  the  Lombard  states.  Each  of  these  castles  was  crowded 
u-ith  knights,  esquires,  and  dependents  of  inferior  grade,  who  formed 
a  little  army  always  ready  for  action. 

2  Among  the  great  commercial  cities  of  this  period  was  Florence, 
the  chief  town  of  Tuscany.  The  Florentine  and  Lombard  merchan  s 
h-.:!  established  commercial  houses  in  all  parts  of  Europe,  and  their 
extensive  and  prosperous  dealings  enabled  th^"^;!«,b'l^^^„";^f;f'^^^ 
palaces,  so  that  Florence  became  the  most  splendid  of  all  the  Italian 
cities.  Many  of  the  wealthy  Florentines  were  money-dealers  or 
bankers,  and  opened  houses  in  London  and  Pans.  i_^„to 

3  It  happened  that  a  gentleman  of  Florence,  named  Buondelmonte, 
who  belonged  to  the  Guelph  P^^^y,  had  become  attached  to  a  young 
lady  of  a  Ghibelline  family,  called  Amidei.  The  day  was  fixed  for 
the  marriage,  when  the  faithless  lover  changed  his  mind,  and  married 
the  daughter  of  a  powerful  nobleman  of  Ins  own  party. 

4.  This  insult  was  so  deeply  resented  by  the  friends  of  the  lady 
whom  he  had  forsaken,  that  they  assassinated  Buondelmonte  in  t h l 
streer  This  act  of  violence  produced  the  most  fatal  consequences. 
The  principal  members  of  the  Guelph  families  met  together  a.id  made 
avow  of  revenge.     For  many  years  afterwards  the  sreets  ot  Horen.t 

almost  daily  presented  scenes  of  violence  and  ^l^^^^^lf/'^.,^^^^^^        . 

5.  The  quarrel  extended  to  all  the  other  towns  of  Tuscany,  and 
wi  carried'to  such  a  height  that  regular  battles  -^^l^^^^^^^  ^^. 
streets  At  every  public  festival  or  assembly,  some  altercation  was 
sure  to  ari^e  betw^eL  a  Guelph  and  a  Ghibelline,  -f-^^;;^ 
^as  instantly  sounded,  and  the  fiery  Italians  ^"^»^^"?/^  ^^J^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
swords  filled  the  streets  with  tumults.  On  one  ot  these  occasioi.s 
arthe  Guel,)h  families  were  expelled  from  Florence  m  a  single  night, 
Ninl  tliirtv-six  of  their  palaces  destroyed. 

inll.efourte.M.lh  century  ma>.y  of  the  republics  began  to  grow 
tire.!  if  c,v.l  war,  and  adopted  the  plan  of  ^hoos.ng^o.ne  power  ,: 
lobleman  to  govern  them,  in  the  hope  that  peace  might  by  this  me.ii. 
3e  rS"ored.  ^Thus  a  number  of  petty  sovere.gnfes  were  formed  ■, 
Italy  the  princes  of  which,  at  various  times,  obtained  from  the 
empe'o«V«=  title  of  Duke,  and  their  territories  came  to  be  called 
duchies. 


CCXIII  -  i.  Of  the  nobles  in  the  towns?    Their  castles?  ,2    Florence?    3  4.  R^ 
peat  the  siory  of  Buondeln^onte '>    5.  Of  the  wars  m  Tuscany  ?    6    Of  the  pe  ly 
eigntiea  in  Ii*ily  1  I  /    a  '^    i) 


I 


304 


COiA  DI   UIExNZJ. 


CHAPTEPrjgCx2\ 
Cola  di  Rienzi, 


^-  ^^ 


1  In  these  new  states  were  generally  two  or  more  great  families, 
who  were  jealous  of  each  other,  each  wishing  to  enjoy  the  governing 
influence  It  was  now  no  longer  by  the  wars  of  the  popes  and  empe- 
rors but  by  those  of  private  families,  that  the  country  was  disturbed, 
so  that  by  degrees  the  names  of  Guelph  and  Ghibelline  were  discon- 
tmued. 

2.  Instead  of  these  factions  there  now  arose,  in  almost  every  city, 
two  or  three  parties  headed  by  the  rival  nobles,  who  carried  on  a  per- 
petual warfare  with  each  other.  At  Rome  there  were  three  famiHes 
t bus  at  variance,  the  Orsini,  the  Savelli,  and  the  Colonna.  Nearly 
all  tlie  castles  in  the  patrimony  of  St.  Peter  belonged  to  them,  and 
they  all  kept  m  their  pay  free  companies,  which  were  no  other  than 
banditti. 

3.  The  peasantry,  too,  attracted  by  the  hope  of  plunder,  joined  these 


CCXIV  —  I.  or  the  sreat  f.imilies  in  the  slater?    2.  The  Roman  families)    3.  Tiw 


SCHISM  IN  THE  PAPACY. 


30o 


turb  ilent  chiefs  ;  so  that  the  districts  near  Rome  were  the  worst  cul- 
tivated of  any  part  of  the  country.  The  want  of  a  proper  government 
tended  to  increase  these  disorders,  for  sometimes  the  pope  resided  at 
I  distance  from  the  city,  and  sometimes  there  was  a  long  interregnum 
jetween  the  death  of  one  pontitT  and  the  election  of  another. 

4.  When  a  pope  died  it  was  customary  for  the  chief  magistrate  of 
Rome  to  send  muffled  drums  through  the  streets,  and  order  the  gates 
to  be  thrown  open.  The  inhabitants  of  every  house  were  obliged  to 
Durn  a  lamp  all  night  in  one  of  their  windows,  and  a  watch  was  held 
in  every  parish. 

5.  During  the  greater  part  of  the  fourteenth  century  the  popes  did 
not  reside  at  Rome,  but  at  Avignon,  in  France.  This  arrangement 
was  very  prejudicial  to  their  authority  in  Italy,  and  gave  rise  to  the 
revolution  effected  by  Cola  di  Rienzi. 

6.  This  person  was  the  son  of  a  Roman  citizen  in  a  rather  humble 
sphere  of  life.  He  was  distinguished  in  early  youth  by  extraordinary 
talents,  an  ardent  imagination,  and  an  enthusiastic  admiration  of  the 
liberties  enjoyed  by  the  ancient  Romans  in  the  days  of  the  republic. 
He  thought  the  glory  of  those  days  might  be  renewed,  and  he  seized 
every  opportunity  of  impressing  his  own  sentiments  on  the  minds  of 

the  people. 

7.  At  length,  in  1347,  taking  advantage  of  the  absence  of  the  chief 
senator,  Stephen  Colonna,  he  excited  a  revolt  among  the  citizens,  and 
established  a  new  form  of  government,  which  he  called  the  Good 
Estate.  This  government  was  accepted  by  the  people,  who  placed 
him  at  the  head  of  it,  with  the  title  of  Tribune. 

8.  Rienzi  made  use  of  his  power  to  banish  the  Colonna  and  other 
noble  families  from  Rome,  and  for  a  while  he  was  treated  as  a  sever 
eign.  But  he  did  not  continue  to  act  with  that  moderation  which  was 
necessary  to  secure  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  and  was  at  length 
assassinated  in  a  tumult,  by  the  very  people  who  had  raised  him  to 
power. 


CHAPTER   CCXV. 


Schism  in  the  Papacy, 

1.  During  the  administration  of  Rienzi,  the  nobles  had  made 
several  attacks  on  the  city,  and  on  his  death  they  returned.  The 
Colonnas  were  reinstated  in  the  government,  the  old  quarrels  of  the 
rival  families  were  renewed,  and  the  people  became  anxious  to  have 
the  pope  once  more  reside  among  them. 

2.  Seventeen  years  had  now  elapsed  since  Clement  V.  had  removed 
his  court  to  Avignon,  and  daring  that  long  interval,  the  whole  of  Italy 


5,  Of  the  removal  of  the  pope  to 


peasantry  ?    The  popes  ?    4.  Of  the  death  of  a  pope? 

Avij»nor.  ?     6.  Cola  di  Rienzi  ?    7.  Of  the  Good  Estate?    8.  Of  Rienzi's  administration 
and  death  1 
CCXV.  —  1.  Of  the  Colonnas  in   Rome?    2.  Of    taly  while  the   popes  resided   a» 

20 


SOG 


SCHISM  IN  THE  PAPACY. 


had  been  a  prey  to  misrule  and  civil  discord.  Some  of  the  emperou 
had  paid  occasional  visits  to  the  Italian  states,  hut  their  motive  hai' 
been  to  obtain  money  rather  than  to  restore  order  to  the  country. 

3.  At  length  Pope  Gregory  XL,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the 
people  of  Rome,  transferred  his  residence  to  that  city,  in  1378,  where 
he  soon  after  died.  This  event  caused  a  great  schism  in  the  Catholic 
church,  which  lasted  nearly  forty  years. 

4.  The  French  cardinals  wished  the  papal  court  to  remain  m 
France,  while  the  Italian  cardinals  preferred  Italy.  The  formei, 
therefore,  elected  a  Frenchman  for  pope,  who  took  the  name  of 
Clement  VII.,  and  made  Avignon  his  capital.  The  Italians  chose  a 
countryman  of  their  own,  who  exercised  the  papal  authority  at  Rome, 
under  the  title  of  Urban  YI. 

5.  The  whole  of  Christendom  was  divided  between  the  two  pon- 
tiffs. Urban  was  acknowledged  in  England,  Germany,  Italy,  the 
northern  states  of  Europe  and  Portugal,  while  Clement  was  obeyed 
in  France,  Spain,  Scotland,  Sicily,  Rhodes  and  Cyprus.  The  papal 
authority  was  much  impaired  by  this  division,  of  which  no  one  could 
see  the  end,  for  when  either  pope  died,  his  party  elected  a  successor. 
Two  popes  were  thus  reigning  at  the  same  time  for  thirty-eight 
years. 

6.  All  attempts  to  induce  one  or  both  of  them  to  resign  were 
unavailing.  To  remove  this  scandal,  a  numerous  council  of  prelates 
assembled  at  Pisa,  in  1409,  and  elected  Alexander  V.  for  the  purpose 
of  superseding  both  the  others.  Instead  of  effecting  such  an  object, 
this  proceeding  only  set  up  a  third  competitor. 

7.  Such  conflicts  among  ecclesiastics  could  not  fail  to  bring  odium 
on  the  whole  body  of  prelates,  and  especially  to  impair  the  respect 
and  confidence  which  laymen  had  entertained  for  the  offices  of  church- 
men. The  anathemas  and  denunciations  of  the  popes,  formerly  so 
terrible,  were  now  principally  interchanged  between  the  popes  ♦hem- 
selves. 

8.  The  church  itself,  »nd  all  its  associations,  were  passing  into 
contempt,  and  the  only  remedy  seemed  to  be  an  authoritative  coun- 
cil, in  which  all  the  Christian  nations  of  Europe  should  be  repre- 
sented. 

9.  Hence  originated  the  council  of  Constance,  held  at  the  city  ot 
that  name  in  Switzerland.  This  council  deposed  the  three  rivals,  and 
elected  as  pope  Otho  Colonna,  a  Roman,  who  took  th°.  title  of  Martin 
V".,  A.  D.  1417.     The  great  schism  was  thus  leriuinated. 


Avisrnoril    3.  When  did  the  pOpe  return  to  Rome?     Of  the  schism  in  the  chwrch 
4.  Of  the  cardinals?    5.  How  was  Kiirojw  d.vidjd  In  this  scni-^m  )    t    iV  ♦>•• '"CtacU 
jif  Pis*  1    7,  8.  What  eiTcci  had  the  schism  7    d.  Tlio  council  c/"Con«!#rs»T 


THE  VENETIAN  REPUBLIC. 


307 


CHAPTER  CCXVI. 

The    Venetian  Repitblic. 


1.  Ti'E  republic  of  Venice  first  rose  into  importance  in  thr  bttei 
part  of  the  tenth  century.  A  free  commerce  was  then  established 
with  the  Greek  empire  and  the  Saracens  of  Egypt.  The  maritime 
rntii's  of  Istria  and  Dalmatia  had  also  been  subjected  to  the  Venetian 
dominion.  In  the  wars  between  the  papal  and  imperial  parties,  the 
republic  generally  supported  the  former. 

2.  Pope  Alexander  III.,  as  a  reward  for  the  services  of  the  Vene- 
tians, conferred  on  them  the  sovereignty  of  the  Adriatic,  and  hence 
arose  the  singular  ceremony  of  celebrating  annually  a  mystic  marriage 
between  that  sea  and  the  doge  of  Venice. 

3.  The  crusades  tended  greatly  to  enlarge  the  power  of  the  repub- 
lic. In  the  fourth  crusade,  Constantinople  was  taken  by  the  Franks, 
and  the  Greek  empire  was  dismembered.  The  Venetians,  who  were 
a  party  in  this  undertaking,  acquired  several  maritime  cities  in  Dal- 
matia, Albania,  Epirus  and  Greece  ;  the  islands  of  Crete,  Corfu, 
Cephalonia,  and  several  others. 

4.  But  the  increasing  wealth  of  Venice  led  to  a  fatal  change  in  its 
political  constitution.  The  government  was  originally  democratic, 
the  power  of  the  doge  being  limited  by  a  council,  who  were  freely 
chosen  by  the  citizens.  Several  tumults  at  these  elections  furnished 
the  doge  Gradenigo  with  an  excuse  for  proposing  a  law  abolishing 
the  annual  elections,  and  rendering  the  dignity  of  councillor  hereditary 
in  the  families  of  those  who  were  at  that  period,  A.  D.  1298,  mem- 
bers of  the  legislative  assembly. 

5.  This  establishment  of  a  close  aristocracy  led  to  several  revolts, 
3ut  the  insurgents  were  defeated.  Ten  inquisitors  were  appointed  to 
investigate  the  conspiracies,  and  this  commission  was  soon  rendered 
permanent,  under  the  name  of  the  Coimcil  of  Ten,  the  most  formida- 
ble tribunal  ever  founded  to  support  aristocratic  tyranny. 

6.  Venice  became  the  commercial  rival  of  Genoa  and  Pisa,  and  the 
clashing  of  their  interests  led  to  the  most  obstinate  and  vindictive  wars, 
in  which  many  naval  battles  were  fought  with  various  success.  The 
earliest  of  the  serious  misfortunes  of  Venice  may  be  dated  from  the 
time  when  the  republic  began  to  display  an  ambition  to  conquer 
northern  Italy. 

7.  Such  an  attempt  was  begun  early  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and 
♦he  Venetians  were  thus  involved  in  the  desolating  wars  of  that  pe- 
riod. They  became  masters  of  several  duchies  and  other  territories 
ou  the  north  bank  of  the  Po.  The  members  of  the  rei^cnmg  families 
whom  they  conquered  were  carried  to  Venice  and  put  to  death,  as  the 
most  certain  mode  of  preventing  revolt  and  attempts  to  reinstate  them- 


CCXVI  —I.  Of  Venice  and  its  commerce?  2.  Of  wedding  the  Adriatic?  3.  Th« 
crusades?  4.  What  effect  had  the  wealth  of  the  Ve-'etiansJ  5.  Of  aristocracy  ane 
Venice?    6.  Of  Genoa  and  Pisa?     7.  Of  their  wars  1 


308 


GENOA  -  LOMBARD V  —  FLORENCE  —  NAPLES. 


ielves.  Venice  was  now  drawn  into  the  convulsed  politics  of  Italv, 
and  w:ia  destined  to  experience  a  full  share  of  the  misfortunes  whick 
iwaittd  that  country. 


CHAPTER   CCXVII. 


Genoa.  —  Lojyihardii.  —  Florence.  —  Naples, 


) 


1.  Genoa,  like  Venice,  owed  its  prosperity  to  its  extensive  com- 
merce, which  flourished  in  spite  of  the  political  convulsions  that 
agitated  the  repuhlic.  The  Genoese  embraced  the  cause  of  the  Greek 
emperors,  and  helped  them  to  refrain  Constantinople,  from  which  they 
had  been  expelled  by  the  crusaders. 

2.  Their  services  were  rewarded  with  the  cession  of  Caffa,  Azof, 
and  other  ports  on  the  Black  Sea,  throuj^h  which  they  opened  a 
lucrative  trade  with  China  and  India.  They  obtained  also  Pera,  a 
suburb  of  Constantinople,  Smyrna,  and  several  important  islands  in 
the  Archipelago. 

3.  Nor  were  they  less  successful  in  extendin*T  their  power  in  Italy 
and  the  western  Mediterranean,  though  they  had  a  potent  rival  in  the 
maritime  republic  of  Pisa.  The  mutual  jealousies  of  these  powers, 
and  the  efforts  of  both  to  gain  possession  of  the  islands  of  Corsica  and 
Sardinia,  led  to  a  long  and  sanguinary  war.  This  ended,  A.  D.  1290, 
in  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  Pisans,  whose  co'nmerce  was  anni- 
hilated by  the  loss  of  the  island  of  Elba,  and  the  destruction  of  Leg 
horn  and  the  port  of  Pisa. 

4.  The  states  of  Lombardy  which  had  wrested  their  freedom  froi.i 
the  German  emperors,  after  a  time  fell  into  anarchy.  Embarrassed 
by  the  advantages  which  they  knew  not  how  to  exercise  for  their  own 
benefit,  some  of  them  voluntarily  resigned  their  liberties  to  new  m-^s- 
ters,  while  others  yielded  to  usurpers. 

5.  The  Marquis  of  Este  became  lord  of  Modena  and  Reggio,  in 
1336  ;  the  house  of  Gonzaga  gained  possession  of  Mantua  ;  and  the 
Visconti  took  the  title  of  Dukes  of  Milan,  in  131)5.  Florence  retained 
its  freedom  and  prosperity  for  a  longer  period  ;  it  was  not  till  the 
reign  of  the  Emperor  ChaHes  V.,  A.  D.  1530,  that  the  republican 
form  of  government  was  abolished,  and  the  supreme  a  ithority  usuri>ed 
by  the  princely  family  of  the  Medici. 

6.  In  1200,  the  kingdom  of  Naples  passed  from  the  Gennan  house 
of  Suabia  to  the  French  house  of  Anjou,  in  the  person  of  Charles  I. 
This  monarch  acquired  the  name  of  the  Tyrant  of  the  Two  Sicilies. 
John  of  Procida  excited  a  conspiracy  against  him,  which  exploded  on 
Easter  day,  1282,  and  is  known  in  history  by  the  name  of  the  Sicilian 
Vespers. 


CCXVIL  — I.  Of  ihe  commerce  of  Genoa?    2.  Of  ihe  Genoese  acnuisliiona  on  the 
j*ack  Sea  and  at  Constantinople?    3.  Of  Corsica  and  Sardinia?    4.  The  states  c' 
Lorunardy?    5.  Of  Modena,  Mantua  and  Florence?      6.    Nap'-n^      7.    The    Sicili* 
vMperd  ? 


iSbTABLISHIMELNT  OF  THE  SPANISH   FOWER  IN   ITAL\ 


3u9 


7.  At  the  sound  of  the  vesper  bell,  on  the  evening  of  that  day,  the 
nhabitants  of  Palermo  rose  in  insurrection  and  massacred  all  the 
French.     Sicily  became  separated  from  Naples,  and  passed  into  the 
possession  of  a  prince  of  Arragon.     The  house  of  Anjou  was  subse- 
quently expelled  from  Italv. 


1 


CHAPTER   CCXVIII. 

Establishment  of  the  Spanish  Power  in  Italy, 

1.  The  kings  of  France  inherited  the  Anjou  pretensions  to  the 
crown  of  Naples,  but  none  of  them  attempted  practically  to  assert  this 
claim  previous  to  the  accession  of  Charles  VIII.  This  young  mon- 
arch, instigated  by  the  solicitations  of  Lodovico  Sforza,  the  usurping 
Duke  of  Milan,  and  enticed  also  by  some  romantic  hope  of  overthrow- 
ing the  Turkish  empire,  crossed  the  Alps  with  a  powerful  army,  in 
141)4. 

2.  He  traversed  the  peninsula  without  encountering  any  effective 
opposition.  Rome,  Florence  and  Naples,  submitted  to  the  conqueror. 
But  during  the  progress  of  the  expedition,  a  league  was  formed  for 
the  expulsion  of  all  foreigners  from  Italy.  The  Venetian  republic 
was  the  moving  power  of  this  confederacy,  while  the  emperor  of  Ger- 
many and  the  king  of  Spain  secretly  favored  its  designs. 

3.  Alarmed  at  the  approaching  danger,  Charles,  leaving  half  his 
army  to  protect  his  conquests,  led  the  remainder  back  to  France.  He 
encountered  the  Venetians  on  his  way,  and  gained  a  complete  victory. 
But  the  forces  which  he  left  in  Italy  were  compelled  to  surrender,  and 
the  old  government  of  Naples  was  restored. 

4.  Charles  was  bent  on  vengeance,  and  the  distracted  state  of  the 
peninsula  gave  him  hopes  of  success  ;  but  before  he  could  complete 
his  arrangements  for  a  second  expedition,  he  was  snatched  away  by  a 
sudden  death,  A.  D.  1498. 

5.  Louis  XII.,  his  successor,  inherited  also,  from  his  grandfather,  a 
claim  to  the  duchy  of  Milan.  He  strengthened  himself  by  alliances 
with  Venice,  the  pope,  and  the  king  of  S})ain,  and  invaded  Italy. 
Milan  was  captured,  and  Louis  next  invaded  Naples. 

6.  Ferdinand  of  Spain  had  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  Neapol- 
itan monarch,  Frederic,  and  his  rival,  Louis,  with  a  secret  intention 
of  cheating  both.  By  his  aid  the  kingdom  of  Naples  was  subdued, 
and  the  dupe,  Frederic,  imprisoned  for  life.  But  no  sooner  was  the 
conquest  completed  than  the  Spanish  king  prepared  to  secure  for  him- 
self the  whole  of  the  spoil. 

7.  Aided  by  the  abilities  of  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova,  the  Great  Cap- 
tain, he  succeeded  in  expelling  the  French  from  Naples,  which  thus 
became  united  to  the  Spanish  monarchy.     Charles  V.,  who  was  at 


CCXVIII.  —  1.  Of  the  invasion  of  Italy  by  C  harles  VIII.  ?  2.  The  league  against  him « 
3.  01  his  retreat  ?  4.  His  death  ?  5.  Louis  XII.  ?  6.  Ferdinand  of  Spain  ?  7.  Gon 
•aJvo  de  Cordova,  and  Charles  V.  ?    8.  Italy  under  the  Spaniards  1 


310 


CONSPIRACY  OF  flESCO. 


the  same  time  emperor  of  Germany  and  king  of  Spain,  carried  on  long 
wars  against  his  rival,  Francis  I.  of  France,  and  at  length  lilspos- 
sessed  him  of  all  his  Italian  domains. 

8  Charles  then  added  the  title  of  King  of  Lombardy  to  his  oihei 
dignities.  For  nearly  two  hundred  years  after  his  death,  Italy  was 
ruled  chiefly  by  the  kings  of  Spain.  Genoa,  Venice  and  Lucca, 
retained  a  republican  government ;  Tuscany  was  erected  into  a  Grand 
Duchy  ;  the  German  emperor  held  supremacy  over  some  of  the  Lom- 
bardo- Venetian  territories,  and  the  pope  continued  sovereign  of  the 
States  of  the  Church. 


CHAPTER  CCXIX. 

Co7ispiracy  of  FiescOj  at  Genoa. 


^ 


1 .  During  the  period  that  elapsed  between  the  wars  of  the  Emperor 
Charles  V.  and  those  of  Bonaparte,  no  material  changes  happened  in 
Italy,  although  many  conspiracies  were  formed,  at  various  times,  for 
the  purpose  of  effecting  revolutions  in  several  of  the  states.  The  first 
plot  was  at  Genoa,  in  1547,  soon  after  the  republican  government 
had  been  restored  by  the  emperor,  at  the  solicitation  of  Andrea 
Doria,  the  great  Genoese  admiral. 

2.  The  nobles  of  Genoa  were  jealous  of  the  influence  possessed  by 
the  Dorias  in  the  state,  and  were  also  displeased  at  their  attachment 
to  the  princes  of  the  liouse  of  Austria.  One  of  these  discontented 
nobles  was  Fiesco,  Count  of  Lavagna,  the  chief  of  one  of  the  most 
ancient  and  illustrious  families  of  Genoa,  who  thought  that  he  ought 
to  fill  the  station  occupied  by  Andrea  Doria,  at  the  head  of  the  repub 
lie.  It  was  not  so  much  the  jealousy  entertained  of  the  aged  admiral. 
who  had  really  rendered  a  service  to  his  country,  as  of  his  nephew, 
Gianettino,  an  arrogant  youth,  whose  haughty  behavior  towards  the 
ancient  nobility  caused  him  to  have  many  enemies. 

3.  The  elevation  of  this  young  man  to  a  share  in  the  government 
gave  great  displeasure  to  the  citizens  generally,  but  more  particularly 
to  Count  Fiesco,  who  looked  upon  it  as  a  usurpation  of  his  own 
rights  ;  in  concert  with  several  other  noblemen,  he  formed  a  con- 
spiracy, the  chief  object  of  which  was,  the  destruction  of  the  whole 
family  of  the  Dorias. 

4.  Fiesco  was  only  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  lately  married  to 
a  very  amiable  and  beautiful  young  lady,  who  was  devotedly  attached 
to  him.  He  possessed  several  large  fiefs  and  strong  castles  among 
the  mountains  ;  and  had  numerous  vassals  and  bands  of  brigands 
entirely  devoted  to  his  service  ;  and  he  had  made  himself  exceedingly 
popular  by  his  courteous  maimers  towards  the  lower  orders  of  the 
people. 

5.  The  conspirators  laid  their  plans,  and  fixed  a  certain  night  for 
their  intended  attack  on  the  palace.     The  fatal  evening  arrived,  and 


CCXIX.  —  ]    What  of  Italy  between  the  times  of  Charles  V.  and  those  of  Bonaparte? 
8.  Of  the  nobles  of  Genoa  ?    Fiesco?    3.  What  conspiracy  did  he  form?    4.  What  i« 


CONSPIRACY  OP  VENICE. 


Fiesco,  after  partaking  of  a  sumptuous  entertainment  with  the  most 
distinguished  of  his  friends,  went  to  his  wife's  apartments  to  impart 
his  designs,  which  he  had  hitherto  kept  a  secret  from  her.  The 
noble  lady,  equally  grieved  and  terrified,  threw  herself  at  his  feet,  and 
implored  him  to  abandon  so  dangerous  an  undertaking ;  but  the  ill- 
fated  young  man  was  firm  to  his  purpose,  and  bade  her  adieu,  saying, 
*'  We  either  meet  no  more,  or  you  shall  see  all  Genoa  at  your  feet." 

6.  Fiesco  then  put  on  his  armor,  and  went  to  join  his  friends  on 
board  the  galleys  in  the  harbor,  which  he  meant  to  seize  ;  when,  in 
crossing  from  one  vessel  to  another,  his  foot  slipped  off  the  plank,  and 
he  fell  into  the  water,  unperceived  by  his  companions ;  for  the  weight, 
of  his  coat  of  mail  caused  him  to  sink  instantly,  and  he  rose  no  more. 
In  the  mean  time,  seve-al  parties  of  the  conspirators,  amounting  to 
about  five  hundred  armed  men,  had  been  sent, in  various  directions, 
with  instructions  to  take  possession  of  the  city  gates,  and  other 
imp(»rtant  posts. 

7.  The  news  of  the  sedition  being  conveyed  to  the  palace,  Gianet- 
tino Doria  went  out  at  the  head  of  a  few  armed  men,  thinking  it  was 
only  a  slight  tumult,  that  might  easily  be  appeased  ;  but  he  was 
almost  immediately  killed,  and  his  uncle  only  avoided  a  similar  fate, 
by  making  his  escape  from  the  palace  through  a  secret  passage. 

8.  The  insurgents  had  expected  to  be  joined  by  their  leader,  Fiesco, 
without  whom  they  knew  not  how  to  proceed ;  but  when  they  found 
he  did  not  come,  they  began  to  lose  courage ;  as  soon  as  his  death 
was  made  known,  the  greatest  consternation  prevailed,  and  each  of 
them  now  only  thought  of  providing  for  his  own  safety.  Many  of  the 
principal  conspirators  were  seized  and  beheaded.  The  whole  of  the 
unfortunate  family  of  Fiesco  suflfered  for  the  ambition  of  their  chief, 
by  banishment  and  the  confiscation  of  their  estates ;  while  the  ven- 
erable Andrea  Doria  was  restored  to  his  high  ofl5ce. 

9.  From  this  time,  the  government  of  Genoa  was  highly  aristocrat- 
ical ;  that  is,  it  was  in  the  hands  of  certain  noble  families,  whose 
names  were  inscribed  in  a  register  called  the  golden  book,  and  none 
but  these  had  a  right  to  sit  in  the  council.  The  doge,  who  had  no 
authority  beyond  that  of  chief  magistrate,  was  elected  every  two 
years  from  among  the  senators,  and  this  form  of  government  lasted 
until  the  invasion  of  Bonaparte. 


CHAPTER  CCXX. 

Conspiracy  of  Venice, 


1.  Of  all  the  Italian  states,  Venice  still  continued  to  be  ihe  mos* 
wealthy  and  powerful.  The  Venetians  had  suflfered  much  by  the 
A-ars  of  the  league  of  Cambray,  but  they  employeJ  the  latter  part  of 


known  of  Fiesco?    5.  Of  the  conspiracy  ?    6.  What  became  of  Fiesco*    7   Of  Dona  1 
I.  The  insunre^!*!    9.  Of  the  government  of  (3en)a? 


312 


CONSPIRACY  OF   VENICE 


the  sixteenth  century  in  rebuildinp^  their  fortress,  reviving?  ijieir  maju 
tactures,  and  rebtoring  their  agriculture  to  its  former  llouribliing  coh 
dition. 

2.  The  greatest  calamity  they  sustained  during  this  period,  wastht 
loss  of  the  beautiful  island  of  Cyprus,  which  was  taken  hy  the  Turkisij 
sultan,  Selim  the  Second,  in  the  year  1570.  It  had  belonged  to  the 
republic  two  hundred  years,  and  was  the  most  valuable  of  all  the 
V'enetian  possessions  in  the  Mediterranean,  on  account  of  its  extreme 
fertility,  and  the  quantity  of  wine  and  wool  that  it  produced. 

3.  The  Venetians  made  an  effort  to  recover  Cyprus,  and  were 
assisted  by  the  Spaniards,  whose  commander,  Don  John  of  Austria, 
gained  a  great  naval  victory  over  the  Turks,  and  destroyed  their  fleet, 
in  the  Bay  of  Lepanto,  in  1571.  This  victory  was  celebrated 
throughout  all  Christendom,  as  a  glorious  triumph  of  the  Christians 
over  the  Mahometans. 

4.  At  Venice,  it  was  signalized  by  solemn  processions,  fireworks, 
illuminations,  and  all  kinds  of  rejoicings,  during  the  space  of  four 
rlays ;  and  on  this  occasion,  the  city  companies,  especially  the  silk  and 
woollen  manufacturers,  and  German  merchants,  paraded  the  streets 
with  splendid  pageants,  and  gave  balls  each  evening,  in  booths  erected 
for  the  purpose,  and  brilliantly  illuminated  outside. 

5.  But  all  this  joy  did  not  bring  back  to  the  Venetians  the  beautiful 
island  they  had  lost ;  for  the  government  found  it  so  inconvenient  to 
continue  the  war,  that  a  peace  was  soon  afterwards  concluded  with 
the  Turks,  who,  by  its  terms,  were  acknowledged  sole  and  undisputed 
masters  of  Cyprus. 

6.  From  this  time  to  the  breaking  out  of  a  fresh  war  with  the 
Turks,  about  seventy  years  afterwards,  the  republic  of  Venice 
remained  at  peace  with  foreign  powers,  and  enjoyed  a  high  degree  ol 
consideration  among  the  states  of  Europe. 

7.  Nothing  very  remarkable  occurred  in  the  affairs  of  Venice,  until 
the  year  1G17,  when  a  mysterious  plot  was  partly  discovered,  that 
appeared  to  have  been  laid  with  the  object  of  putting  an  end  to  the 
existing  government ;  and  was  believed  to  have  originated  with  the 
Spanish  authorities  in  Italy.  This  is  the  conspiracy  celebrated  in 
Otway's  tragedy  of  *'  Venice  Preserved  ;"  but  the  facts  are  entirely 
misrepresented  in  that  drama. 

8.  There  were  three  Spanish  noblemen  in  Italy,  the  Duke  d'Ossuna, 
Viceroy  of  Naples ;  Don  Pedro  de  Toledo,  Governor  of  Milan  ;  and 
the  Marquis  de  Bedmar,  ambassador  at  Venice ;  and  these  three 
nobles  were  said  to  have  concerted  a  plan  to  destroy  the  republic  of 
Venice,  with  a  view  of  increasing  their  own  power  in  Italy,  as  well 
as  that  of  their  master,  the  king  of  Spain. 

9.  This  plot  was  revealed  to  the  Council  of  Ten  by  a  French  pirate, 
named  Jacques  Pierre,  who  had  absconded  from  Naples,  and  obtained 
employment  in  the  docks  at  Venice :  and  he  also  confessed  to  the 
council  that  he  was  himself  a  party  concerned  in  the  plot ;  and  that 
his  real  business  at  Venice  was  to  enlist  secretly  in  the  service  of  tl)e 


CCXX.  —  1    Of  Venice  in '.he  sixteenth  century?    2.  The  island  of  Cyprus?    3,4 
l?a:ileofLepanio7    5.  TheTurlts?    Q.  Stale  of  Venice  in  Europe?     7.  Ol  Venice  Pro 


INSURKECTION   OF  MASAMKLI.O. 


313 


ficeroy,  a  number  of  the  bravocs,  who  at  that  time  formed  a  regular 
oart  of  the  establishment  of  most  rich  men.  Acconling  to  his  own 
statement,  he  and  another  Frenchman,  named  Jaffier,  were  to  head 
these  assassins,  who,  on  a  certain  day  apjxiintcd,  were  to  break  into 
the  palace  when  the  council  was  sitting,  and  massacre  the  doge  and 
uU  the  senators. 

10.  The  reason  why  Pierre  made  this  disclosure  was  never  known  ; 
and  it  is  even  doubtful  whether  any  conspiracy  ever  really  existed,  or 
whether  the  rumor  of  such  a  plot  w;is  a  contrivance  between  the  Duke 
d'Ossuna  and  the  government  of  V^enice,  to  cover  a  design  of  restor- 
ing the  ancient  independence  of  Italy,  by  drivinjs  the  Spaniar'*-  frcm 
Lombardy,  and  converting  Naples  into  a  kingdom,  of  which  the  crown 
was  to  be  bestowed  on  the  viceroy.  In  that  case  Pierre  was  himself 
deceived  both  by  the  duke  and  the  Venetian  senate,  who  pretended  to 
believe  his  story  ;  but  these  speculations  are  of  little  importance  com- 
pared with  the  dreadful  events  that  followed. 

IJ.  After  ten  months  had  gone  by,  several  bodies,  amongst  whom 
was  that  of  Pierre,  were  one  morning  seen  hanging  in  the  open  space 
before  the  palace,  called  St.  Mark's  Place  ;  and  it  was  soon  whispered 
abroad  that  a  great  many  persons  had  been  drowned  in  the  grand 
canal  during  the  night ;  and  others  strangled  in  the  state  prisons. 

12.  Day  after  day,  more  executions  took  place  in  St.  Mark's 
Square,  to  the  great  horror  of  the  people,  who  were  lo.st  in  wonder  as 
to  the  cause  of  them  ;  nor  were  any  reasons  ever  assigned  for  these 
acts,  which  fearfully  illustrate  the  terrible  power  possessed  at  that 
time  by  the  Venetian  government,  which  could  thus,  without  ques- 
tion or  explanation,  take  away  the  lives  of  so  many  of  its  subjects. 

13.  In  fact,  people  were  afraid  to  speak  of  its  proceedings,  for  spies 
were  employed  by  the  Council  of  Ten  ;  and  there  stood,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Giant's  Stairs,  the  famous  Lions  of  St.  Mark,  with  gaping 
mouths,  for  the  reception  of  anonymous  communications,  by  wh'ch 
means  any  one  might  be  charged  with  a  crime  against  the  sla  e, 
without  knowing  who  was  the  accuser. 


CHAPTER  CCXXI. 

Insurrection  of  Masa 


XI.      ^.^ 

niello.       I 


1  An«>ther  insurrection  ocx^urred,  at  Naples,  ubuat  thirty  yeart 
after  that  of  Pierre,  at  Venice,  known  as  the  revolt  of  Masaniello 
ft  was  in  the  year  1647,  while  Naples  was  under  the  government  of 
i.ie  Spaniards,  that  great,  discontent  was  caused  among  the  lower 
'inlers  of  the  people,  in  consequence  of  a  tax  levied  by  the  viceroy  on 
fruit    ivhich  in  summer  was  the  principal  food  of  the  poor. 

2.  Every  time  the  viceroy  appeared  in  the  market-place  he  waa 

served  ?    8.  Who  laid  a  plot  at  Venice  ?    9.  Who  revealed  it?    10.  What  was  the  design? 
11-13.   Wlial  was  the  result?  „  ^r  ^       • 

CCXXI  —  1.  When  did  the  insurrection  of  Masaniello  take  place?    2.  Of  the  viceroy 

27 


514 


INSUKRECTION   Or    jViaSAMELLO. 


it  appears   he  ,lw.'„^     u     ?"'""«<"'  '»  abolish  the  tax;  wnich, 
.     which  ensued  '      '^  ""^  ''"'  "'"  '^'==^'°"  "^  '^e  mischief 

4    Indignant  at  being  treated  with  so  much  severity   he  laid  a  nlm 

fled  for  sheUe^lo  a  npTah    '^'""'^  '"'"'^  Po^^^sion,  while  thevice.ov 
ft     A      .  ^'^  ^^  ^  neighboring  convent. 

taxes    b,r"h;'fl   T?'"  ""^'Z' '"'  °"""'=''  »°  ^''^''^l'  several  of  the 

2-ing  the  ,ndepe„dre  o7h, ''"cl/,       ;"  hS:"hetfuTed  th^ 
seized  an  "Ifellded  '         ^^  '"'  "'''"^  *^''^=''  ""^emen  were 

^veern  Drine;  H„  '  '•'«  c.ty  and  issued  his  commands  as  a 
sovereign  prmce.  He  even  held  a  conference  with  the  vicerov  wl„. 
fo.  the  sake  of  putting  a  stop  to  the  outrages  of  t  e  mob  aS  utl 
lum  retam  the  government,  and  signed  a  Treaty  to  thTc'f^?  '"  '*-' 
8.  Masamello  now  appeared  in  a  splendid  dress  of  cloU.  of  silver 

Son  ^'  '"''  ^'  ^"^  =««-^inated  ten  days  after  las  cLraU'ary 
.^patnsh  authont.es.  but  none  of  equal  importance  to  Xurrelatcd 


?.r??;.  iJ^^^^^7^^x:U^--::-^;^^'^^  -"-  - 


THIi   MODERN   POPES 


315 


CHAPTER  CCXXIl 

The  Modern  Popes. 

1.  At  Rome,  from  the  time  of  Paul  the  Thirrf,  A.  D.  1534,  to  the 
French  invasion,  in  1796,  no  less  than  twenty-nir.e  pontiffs  were  ele- 
vated to  the  papal  throne.  Some  of  these  ruled  with  mildness, 
and  were  much  beloved  ;  others  were  very  arbitrary,  and  sometimes, 
by  their  severity,  occasioned  tumults  in  the  city. 

2.  One  of  these  was  Paul  the  Fourth,  a  proud  man,  ambitious  of 
ruling  over  other  princes,  as  his  predecessors  had  done  ;  but  the  state 
of  society  was  altogether  changed,  and  the  pope  had  no  longer  much 
authority  out  of  his  own  dominions,  except  in  such  affairs  of  the 
church  as  came  under  his  jurisdiction ;  nor  could  he  expect  an} 
homage  from  the  rulers  of  other  states,  beyond  that  which  was  due  to 
his  sacerdotal  character. 

3.  Paul  the  Fourth  was  disliked  at  Rome,  because  he  made  the 
people  pay  very  heavy  taxes,  and  augmented  the  power  of  the  Inqui- 
sition ;  in  consequence  of  which,  the  prisons  of  that  tribunal  were 
filled  with  people  suspected  of  heresy.  Yet  he  was  often  strictly  just 
in  his  actions  ;  as  a  proof  of  which,  he  disgraced  and  banished,  for 
bad  conduct,  three  of  his  nephews,  whom  he  had  raised  to  very  high 

oflices.  _     -. 

4.  These  were  the  Marquess  of  Montebello,  the  Duke  of  Fagliano, 
and  the  Cardinal  Caraffa,  all  of  whom  had  behaved  in  a  manner  very 
unbecoming  their  rank ;  and  as  soon  as  the  pope  died,  they  excited 
public  tumults  at  Rome,  where  the  lower  orders  of  the  people  set  fire 
to  the  court  of  the  Inquisition,  after  having  broken  open  the  dungeons, 
and  released  the  prisoners. 

5.  Much  mischief  was  done  in  the  course  of  this  tumult ;  so  that 
the  next  pope,  Pius  the  Fourth,  although  he  granted  a  general  par- 
don, considered  it  necessary  to  except  the  leaders,  who  were  all  three 

beheaded.  „ 

6.  One  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Roman  pontiffs  was  Lrregory 
the  Thirteenth,  who  was  elected  in  the  year  1572.  He  was  very 
much  beloved,  on  account  of  his  mild  government,  which  was  injurious 
in  one  respect,  as  not  being  calcrdated  to  check  the  depredations  ol 
the  numerous  banditti  that  infested  the  country  around  Rome,  and 
even  the  capital  itself.  . 

7  Gregory  the  Thirteenth  made  that  alteration  in  the  calendar 
which  is  called  the  New  Style.  Until  this  period,  the  precise  length 
of  the  year  had  never  been  exactly  settled,  so  far  as  regarded  some 
odd  minutes  at  the  end  X){  it,  which,  by  miscalculation,  had,  in  the 
course  of  many  centuries,  brought  the  days  out  of  their  proper  places; 
wherefore,  Gregory  ordered  that  the  dates  should  be  altered  on  a  cer- 
tain day,  to  bring  them  right  again. 


JCSXII  -1.  Of  the  pontiffs  at  Rome?    2.  Paul  IV.  ?    3.  The  Inquisition?    4   Moo- 
Wbei^^fand  Caraffa?    5^Pi...  IV.?    6.  Gregory  XIII.?    7,8.  The  refor;aation  of  lh« 


:}16 


SIXTUS  THE  FIFTH 


SlXTUb  THE  FIFTH. 


317 


8    This  new  mode  of  reckoning  was  adopted  in  all  Ca  holic  conn 
tries,  in  the  year  1582,  when  ten  days  were  entirely  omitted  in  the 
calendar,  so  that  the  day  which  used  to  be  the  eleventh  of  the  month 
became  the  first.     It  was  long  before  this  alteration  of  the  style  was 
introduced  into  the  Protestant  states,   which  was  a  serious  incon 
venience  in  many  cases. 

9.  The  established  religion  of  some  of  the  German  cities  waa 
Protestant,  of  others  Catholic;  so  that  in  one  town  the  inhabitanta 
were  celebrating  their  Christmas,  and  other  public  festivals,  ten  days 
oefore  those  of  another  ;  till,  at  last,  it  was  found  necessary  to  make 
the  change  universal. 

10.  Gregory  the  Thirteenth  was  a  great  friend  to  the  Jesuits,  for 
whom  he  built  and  endowed  a  college  at  Home,  and  twenty-seven 
seminaries  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  many  of  them  in  heathen 
countries,  where  the  fathers  taught  the  Christian  religion  among  the 
people.  It  is  said  they  did  so  much  good  in  the  Japanese  islands, 
that  the  emperor  of  Japan  sent  ambassadors  to  Rome  to  express  his 
o^ratitude  to  the  pope  for  the  benefits  that  had  been  conferred  on  him- 
telf  and  his  people. 

11.  Gregory  ordered  public  rejoicings  at  Rome  on  account  of  the 
conversion  of  the  rich  and  populous  empire  of  Japan  to  the  Christian 
faith ;  but  the  festivities  were  cut  short  by  the  sudden  death  of  the 
pope,  who  had  reigned  over  the  church  of  Rome  above  thirteen  years 


CHAPTER   CCXXIIL 

Sixt7/s  the  Fifth. 

1.  Gregory  the  Thirteenth  was  succeeded  by'Sixtus  the  Fifth, 
whose  history  is  very  remarkable.  This  celebrated  personage  was 
the  son  of  a  vine  dresser  residing  in  a  small  village  in  tlie  territory  of 
Montalto,  who,  being  very  poor,  placed  the  boy  with  a  farmer  in*  the 
neighborhood,  who  employed  him  to  look  after  his  pigs. 

2.  It  happened,  one  day,  that  a  Franciscan  friar  travelling  through 
that  part  of  the  country,  required  a  guide  to  conduct  him  to  AscoliTa 
town  some  few  miles  distant,  and  our  hero  was  charged  with  the 
office.  The  worthy  friar  was  so  pleased  with  his  conversation  on  the 
road,  that  he  took  him  to  his  convent,  where  he  remained  ;  by  close 
study  he  became,  in  time,  such  an  excellent  scholar,  that  he  waa 
appointed  to  a  professorship  in  the  college  of  Siena. 

.*K  The  fame  he  there  gained  by  his  lectures  caused  him  to  be 
appointed  chief  of  the  Inquisition  at  Venice  ;  but  lie  had  not  long 
filled  that  high  office,  before  he  became  involved  in  a  dispute  with 
the  Council  of  Ten,  and  found  it  prudent  to  make  his  escape  from  that 
city.     He  then  took  up  his  abode  at  Rome,  where  he  was  soon  raised 

ealendar?     9.  Of  the  celebration  of  Christmas?      10.   The  Jesuits?     11.   The  Jap 
«iiese  7 
CrJGCIU.  — 1.  Sixtus  v.?     2.  IJow  did  he  rise  to  notice?    3.  How  at  Roiiui  nud 


) 


to  the  dignity  of  cardinal  by  Pope   Pius  the  Fifth,  a.d  was  also 
highly  distinguished   by  Gregory  the  Thirteenth,  at  whose  death  he 

was  elected  pope. 

4.  A  story  is  told  of  his  having  used  some  artifice  on  this  occasion, 
pretending  to  be  in  very  ill  health,  and  extremely  infirm,  because  he 
knew  there  were  a  great  many  of  the  cardinals  who  had  reasons  for 
wishing  that  the  next  pontificate  should  be  a  short  one,  and  would 
perhaps  be  induced  to  choose  him,  if  they  thought  he  could  not  live 

5.  His  government  was  extremely  vigorous,  and  so  strictiy  just, 
that  it  is  said  he  never  granted  pardon  to  a  criminal  under  any  circum- 
stances. But  with  this  austere  temper  he  did  much  real  good,  by 
freeing  the  country  around  Rome  from  those  desperate  bands  of  rob- 
UdTS  that  for  many  years  had  overrun  the  territory  of  the  capital. 

(J.  Sixtus  took  great  pleasure  in  aggrandizing  his  humble  family, 
and  adarning  his  native  place  with  fine  buildings  ;  but  his  chief  public 
works  were  at  Rome,  where  he  made  an  extensive  aqueduct  for  con- 
veying water  to  the  city  from  a  distance  of  thirteen  miles ;  rebuilt  the 
Vatican  library  on  a  more  magnificent  scale ;  and  erected  near  it  a 
fine  printing  office. 

7.  This  pontiff  was  a  great  admirer  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  of 
Henry  the  Fourth  of  France,  who  were  reigning  in  his  time,  although 
both  these  sovereigns  were  of  the  Protestant  faith  ;  but  he  said  they 
kn<uv  well  how  to  govern,  and  were  worthy  of  the  thrones  they  occu- 
pied. Sixtus  reigned  only  five  years  ;  and  when  he  died,  the  people 
rather  rejoiced  than  otherwise,  for  he  had  been  more  feared  than 
beloved,  and  the  strictness  with  which  he  enforced  the  laws  against 
all  offenders  had  more  the  air  of  tyranny  than  justice. 

8.  An  instance  of  this  occurred  in  the  case  of  a  Spanish  gentleman 
of  rank,  who  had  killed  a  Swiss  soldier,  by  striking  him  a  violent 
blow,  to  which  act  he  had  been  provoked  by  the  man's  insolence 
When  the  pope  was  informed  of  the  circumstance,  he  desired  that  the 
culprit  should  be  instantly  executed,  refusing  to  listen  to  any  evidence 
in  extenuation  of  his  crime ;  and  when  the  execution  was  over,  he 
said  to  some  of  his  domestics,  '*  Bring  me  my  dinner;  this  act  of 
justice  has  given  me  an  appetite." 

9.  The  history  of  Rome,  from  this  period  to  the  time  of  the  French 
invasion,  affords  very  little  matter  fi»r  history.  The  most  remarka- 
ble event  was,  the  suppression  of  the  Jesuits,  by  Pope  Clement  the 
Fourteenth,  who  would  perhaps  have  been  sorry  to  put  an  end  to  a 
society  that  had  been  of  so  much  service  to  the  Catholic  religion,  had 
it  not  "been  the  wish  of  almost  all  the  Catholic  potentates  of  Europe 
that  it  should  be  abolished. 

10    The  Jesuits  had  alread>  been  expelled  from  several  countries 
theii  property  confiscated,  and  their  colleges  shut  up,  or  converted  * 
other  pur|)oses  ;  therefore,  the  pope  was  obliged  to  give  his  consc  n, 
for  the   suppression  of  the  order  altogether   which,  it  has  been  said, 
he  did  very  reluctantly,  in  the  year  1773. 


Venice'    4.  What  story  is  told  of  him?    H.  His  eovermnenl?    6.  His  buildlngl     t. 
Hi*  policy?    8.  Anecdote  of  him?    9.  Cleme-.t  XIV   /     JO.  Tlie   esuiia? 


27' 


318  THE  ITALIANS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 


CHAPTER   CCXXIV. 

The  Italians  of  the  Eighteenth  Century. 

1.  Home  was  not  so  gay  a  city  as  Venice,  except  on  extraorilinarj 
occasions,  such  as  the  Jubilee,  or  the  coronation  of  the  pope,  which 
was  a  very  magnificent  ceremony.  It  was  usually  performed  in  the 
church  of  St.  John  de  Lateran,  the  most  ancient  of  the  sacred  edificcH 
in  Rome. 

2.  The  procession  from  the  Vatican  was  extremely  splendid,  the 
cardinals  all  attending  on  horseback,  in  their  purple  robes  and  scarlet 
hats ;  the  nobles  of  Home,  in  full  dress,  each  followed  by  four  pages, 
in  rich  array  ;  and  the  pope  himself,  riding  on  a  white  mule,  preceded 
by  his  Swiss  guards,  in  coats  of  mail  and  caps  adorned  with  large 
plumes  of  feathers  ;  the  cavalcade  presenting  altogether  a  very  grand 
spectacle. 

3.  In  this  order,  the  pope  took  his  way  from  the  palace  to  the 
church,  where  he  was  crowned  ;  after  which  he  proceeded  to  the 
('ampidoglio,  a  citadel  erected  by  Michael  Angelo,  opposite  St. 
Peter's,  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Roman  capitol,  crowds  of  the  com- 
mon people  thronging  around  him  to  beg  his  blessing.  On  arriving 
at  the  capitol,  the  keys  were  presented  to  him  by  the  governor,  and 
restored  by  him  with  an  appropriate  benediction,  after  which  the  pro- 
cession returned  to  the  palace. 

4.  The  evening  was  celebrated  with  illuminations,  fireworks,  and 
other  public  rejoicings.  The  most  striking  feature  in  the  public  fes- 
tivities at  Rome  was  the  illumination  of  the  great  dome  of  St.  Peter's, 
which  had  a  most  brilliant  effect,  as  seen  against  the  clear  deep  blue 
of  an  Italian  sky. 

5.  The  French  style  of  dress  was  now  prevalent  in  all  the  great 
towns  of  Italy,  and  in  compliance  with  a  strange  custom  which  had 
been  introduced,  married  people  could  not,  on  any  occasion,  be  seen 
together  in  public,  without  violating  the  rules  of  fashion  and  etiquette. 
Every  married  lady,  therefore,  made  choice  of  some  particular  gen- 
tleman, frequently  a  relative  of  noble  birth  and  sc^yity  fortune,  who 
attended  her  wherever  she  went,  and  was  called  her  cavalier  servente. 

6.  Masks  were  very  generally  worn  by  both  sexes  at  all  public 
places,  a  gentleman  usually  appearing  at  an  opera  or  assembly  in  s 
black  silk  domino,  which  was  a  short  cloak,  with  a  velvet  mask  under 
his  hat,  just  concealing  the  upper  part  of  the  face.  The  ladies  wore 
the  mask  quite  over  the  face,  and  a  veil  thrown  over  the  head. 

7.  No  place  in  the  world  could  be  more  gay,  during  the  latter  half 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  than  the  city  of  Venice,  notwithstanding 
aF.  its  misfortunes ;  for  the  Venetians,  having  no  longer  any  preten- 
sions to  power,  devoted  themselves  entirely  to  amusement ;  so  that, 
to  a  stranger,  each  day  appeared  like  a  public  holiday,  in  consequence 
of  the  processions,  and  shows  of  various  kinds. 


CCXXIV.  — 1.  Of  the  Jubilee  at  Rome?    2,  3.  The  pr<»cession  of  the  pope?    4.  lUo- 
»lnatioii3'    5.  Style  of  dress?    6.  JVIaskiug?    7.  Gayeiy   of  Venice?    8.  GondolM  i 


THE   FT   LIANS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CKM'UllY 


J19 


8.  Then  the  gondolas  on  the  canals  were  occupied  by  parties  in 
iiursuit  of  enjoyment,  and  the  rooms  called  casinos,  in  St.  Mark's 
Place,  were  every  evening  filled  with  company,  it  being  customary 
for  people  of  fashion,  instead  of  entertaining  their  friends  at  their  own 
houses,  to  invite  parties  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  to  partake  of  refresh- 
ments at  a  casino. 

9.  The  carnival  was  celebrated  with  more  splendor  at  Venice  than 
in  any  other  place,  and  the  city,  at  that  mirthful  season,  was  always 
visited  by  immense  numbers  of  foreigners.  In  short,  pleasure 
engrossed  the  whole  time  and  thoughts  of  the  Venetians,  until  the 
excilintr  events  of  the  French  Revolution  turned  their  thoughts  to 

graver  matters. 

10.  The  happiest  part  of  Italy  is  still,  as  it  ever  has  been,  the 
gran^'-duthv  of  Tuscany.  Duke  Ferdinand  die!  in  1824,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Leopold  the  Second,  who  devoted  a  large  share 
ot  his  time  to  attending  to  the  welfare  of  his  jjcople,  and  the  improve- 
ment of  the  country.  He  made  several  new  roads,  and  improved 
many  parts  of  a  low  marshy  country  extending  along  the  sea-coast, 
called  the  Maremma,  which  is  so  unhealthy,  from  damps,  and  the 
sulphureous  nature  of  the  soil,  that  it  had  long  been  entirely  deserted ; 
but  by  his  exertions,  it  was  rendered  partially  habitabl(% 

11.  All  modern  travellers  speak  of  the  gayety,  neatness,  and  easy 
turcumstances,  of  the  Tuscan  peasantry,  who  seem  to  enjoy  more  hap- 
piness than  the  rural  population  of  any  other  country  in  Europe, 
except  Austria.  At  every  cottage  door  are  seen  women  and  girls 
busily  employed  in  plaiting  straw  for  hats,  of  which  great  quantities 
are  sent  all  over  Europe,  and  to  the  American  states. 

12.  The  young  peasant  girls  wear  these  hats  themselves,  orna- 
mented with  llowers  and  ribbons.  The  Italian  language  is  spoken 
more  correctly  in  Tuscany  than  in  any  other  part  of  Italy,  Rome  not. 
excepted ;  and  even  the  lower  classes  express  themselves  with  a 
degree  of  refinement  that  is  seldom  found  amongst  uneducated  people. 

13.  The  country  siround  Florence  is  well  cultivated,  beautiful  and 
picturesque,  and  the  hills  are  covered  with  elegant  villas,  belonging 
to  the  nobility  and  gentry.  In  Florence,  as  in  almost  all  the  large 
towns  of  Italy,  the  ground  floors  of  the  best  houses,  which  are  gen- 
erally dignified  with  the  name  of  palaces,  are  let  out  as  shops,  and 
the  family  of  the  sho|)k*^eper  occupies  the  first  floor  ;  so  that  the 
owners  of  the  palace  have  often  to  ascend  two  flights  of  stairs,  to 
reach  their  residence 

14.  Most  great  families  in  Florence  have  also  a  custom,  whicli 
ai)pears  strange  to  American  people,  of  agreeing  with  their  cooks  to 
furnish  them  with  a  dinner  every  day,  for  a  certain  price,  which  is  of 
course  determined  according  to  the  nund)er  of  the  family,  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  choose  to  live. 

1,5.  The  landed  proprietors  of  Piedmop*  are  in  general  rich,  at" 
estates  are  very  productive  in  that  countr} ,  which  is  one  of  the  most 

9  Carnival  ?  l(».  Of  Tuscany  niider  U(»|>ol<l  ?  II.  The  peasttulry  ?  12.  The  Tuscan 
laiiguHjje?  13  Florence?  14.  Singular cu:Aoin  ?  15.  Pjedmoui  ?  16  lis  iuha»»'tai»ta} 
17.  Savoy? 


320 


MC^DERN   REVOLUTIONS  OF   ITALY. 


fertile  spots  m  Europe.  lis  plains  afford  abundance  of  corn,  nco, 
friit,  and  vegetables ;  its  hill.*-  a-e  covered  with  vineyai  is  ;  its  vi.Ileya 
willi  fine  pastures  ;  and  great  attention  is  paid  to  ibe  growth  of  mul- 
berry trees,  for  the  nourishment  of  silk-worms,  a  branch  of  industry 
that  affords  ample  employment  for  the  female  peasantry  of  many  dis- 
tricts. 

16.  The  country  folks  of  Piedmont  are  cheerful  and  industrious. 
The  v'omen  are  fond  of  gaudy  ornaments,  such  as  large  necklaces 
and  ear-rings,  and  wear  very  high  muslin  caps.  On  religious  festi- 
vals, which  are  frequent  in  all  Catholic  countries,  the  peasants  of 
every  village  in  Piedmont  assemble  in  the  meadows,  to  dance  and 
make  merry.  The  silks  made  in  Piedmont  are  superior  to  those  of 
Naples,  although  it  is  very  usual  for  shopkeepers  to  call  a  silk  "  gros 
de  Naples,"  by  way  of  recommendation  ;  and  there  are  also  velvet, 
hnen,  and  woollen  manufactories,  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 

17.  The  country  of  Savoy  is  poorer  and  less  fertile  than  that  of 
Piedmont,  in  consequence  of  which,  many  poor  boys  leave  their  homes 
to  wander  about  Europe,  trying  to  gain,  by  the  aid  of  their  voices  and 
guitars,  a  scanty  subsistence  in  more  wealthy  countries ;  and  these 
simple  Savoyards  are  so  frugal  and  industrious,  that  they  not  unfre- 
qucntly  return  to  their  native  villages,  with  suflicieut  money  to  estab- 
lish themselves  in  a  more  settled  mode  of  life. 


CHAPTER  CCXXV. 

Modern  Revolutions  of  Italy. 

1.  iHE  kingdom  of  Naples  passed  from  the  SpanisTi  dominions  to 
a  prince  of  the  house  of  Austria,  in  1713;  and  about  the  same  time 
Piedmont,  Savoy  and  Sardinia,  were  erected  into  a  monarchy,  with 
the  title  of  the  Kingdom  of  Sardinia.  The  political  state  of  Italy 
suflered  no  material  alteration  from  this  time  till  the  French  Revolu- 
tion. 

2.  The  Austrian  influence  was  then  predominant  in  Italy,  and  the 
French  Directory,  in  1796,  despatched  an  army  under  General  Bona- 
parte into  Pie<!mont,  lor  the  purpose  of  expelling  the  Austrians  from 
that  part  of  the  country.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  brilliant 
military  career  of  that  extraordinary  man,  who  had  not  previously 
attracted  any  great  notice. 

3.  The  success  (»f  Bonaparte  in  the  north  of  Italy  was  so  decisive 
that  in  two  years  the  whole  of  Ijombardy  was  conquered  by  the 
French,  and  the  Austrian  armies  were  completely  expelled  from 
Italy.  The  king  of  Naplrs  and  the  pope  were  permitted  to  remain 
at  peace,  but  were  compelled  by  the  conqueror  to  pay  heavy  contribu- 
tions. 

4.  The  republic  of  Venice  was  overthrown,  and  the  city  ultimately 

tXXXV.  — !.   3f  N:»ple.s  nntler  ihe  Austrian  (Kmiinion?     Of  Piediront,  Savoy  and  Sai 
diuia?     2.  or  the  French  and  Bonapurle  in  Iialy  ?    3.  B^naiKirte'd  anciessi?    4.    The 


lOPERN   REVOIUT»ONS  OF   ITALY. 


321 


transferred  by  the  French  to  Austria.  All  the  co  iquered  states  of 
r<ombardy  were  united  under  one  government,  called  the  Cisalpine 
Republic.  A  popular  tumult  shortly  afterward  happened  at  Rome. 
The  French  took  advantage  of  this  to  overturn  the  papal  government ; 
the  pope  retired  to  a  monastery  and  a  consular  government  was 
ijstablished  in  Home. 

5.  During  the  absence  of  Bonaparte  in  Egypt  in  1708,  the  Vv.s- 
Irians  reentered  Italy  and  regained  possession  of  a  considerable  part 
of  what  had  been  conquered  from  them.  But  their  triumph  was  of 
el  ort  duration. 

6.  Bonaparte  returned  from  Egypt,  and  having  been  raised  to  the 
head  of  the   French  government,  with  the  title  of  First  Consul, 
marched  an  army  across  the  Alps  into  Italy,  in  the  spring  of  1800 
and  totally  overthrew  the  Austrian  armies  at  the  battle  of  Marengo. 

7.  Bonaparte  was  now  completely  master  of  Italy,  and  allowed  the 
new  pope,  Pius  VII.,  who  had  just  been  elected,  to  take  his  place  at 
the  head  of  the  government  of  Rome. 

8.  When  Napoleon  became  emperor  of  France,  the  Cisalpine  Re- 
public was  changed  to  a  monarchy,  with  the  title  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Italy,  the  crown  of  which  was  assumed  by  him  in  1805.  Genoa  and 
its  territories  for  some  years  enjoyed  a  popular  government  under  the 
name  of  the  Ligurian  Republic,  but  in  1809  they  were  united  to  tlo 

French  empire. 

9.  In  1806  Napoleon  placed  his  brother  Joseph  on  the  throne  of 
Naples,  which  he  occupied  about  two  years,  when  he  was  transferred 
to  the  throne  of  Spain.  Joachim  Murat,  who  had  married  the  sister 
of  Napoleon,  was  then  made  king  of  Naples.  In  1809  Napoleon 
leprived  the  pope  of  his  temporal  power  in  Rome,  and  annexed  that 
city  to  the  French  empire.  He  suppressed  all  the  convents,  and 
compelled  the  monks  and  nuns  to  betake  themselves  to  other  occu- 
pations. 

10.  On  the  overthrow  of  Napoleon,  the  Austrian  power  was 
reestablished  in  Italy.  The  pope  recovered  his  political  rank  ;  Murat 
was  deprived  of  his  crown  and  put  to  death  ;  the  kingdom  of  Sardinia 
was  restored,  and  augmented  by  the  addition  of  the  Genoese  territory. 
Venice  and  Lombardy  fell  under  the  Austrian  government,  and  Tus- 
cany was  placed  under  the  Grand  Duke  of  the  Austrian  family. 

11.  Some  of  the  smaller  duchies  were  restored  to  their  former  pos 
lessors,  on  certain  conditions,  but  nearly  the  whole  of  Italy  may  be 
regarded  from  this  period  as  under  the  dominion  of  the  house  of 
Austria. 

12.  During  upwards  of  thirty  years  from  the  restoration  of  the  old 
government  of  Italy,  this  country  remained  in  a  state  of  comparative 
tranquillity.  The  authority  of  the  reigning  power  in  most  of  the 
states  was  sustained  by  armed  force,  and  the  administration  vas,  in 
general,  of  a  very  arbitrary  character. 


Ci»'ilpine  Republic?  5.  Of  the  Austrian  re-ronquesl  of  Italy  ?  6,  7.  Of  the  campa.cn 
of  Marenso?  8.  The  kingdom  of  Italy  ?  The  Licurian  Republic?  9.  Of  Joseph  Na- 
iviloon  in  Naples  ?  Of  the  jKipe  ?  10.  Of  the  overthrow  of  Na|M)leon  ?  11.  The  Aus- 
irians  ill  luly  ?     12.  The  stale  of  Italy  after  the  restoration  of  the  ancient  governmen*  t 


21 


1/ 


f 


^^'-  /  / 


•■)'■ 


322 


MODERN    REVOLUTIONS    OF   ITALY. 


CHAPTER  CCXXVI. 

Modern  Revolutions  of  liahj,  ConMue 

1.  About  the  year  1840,  though  every  thing  was  quiet  upon  the 
surface,  much  dissatisfaction  was  created  throughout  Italy  through 
the  influence  of  secret  societies,  organized  and  fostered  by  Mazzini 
and  other  agitators.  At  length,  in  1 847,  symptoms  of  reform  appeared 
in  the  Papal  territories,  where  the  spirit  of  innovation  was  supposed 
to  be  the  least  active.  Pope  Gregory  XVI.  died  in  184G,  and  his 
successor,  Pius  IX.,  to  the  surprise  of  the  world,  announced  himself 
as  a  friend  to  liberal  principles  of  government. 

2.  Great  hopes  were  now  entertained  of  the  regeneration  of  Italy. 
Tuscany  and  Sardinia  followed  Rome  in  the  path  of  pr(>gress,  and 
the  three  states  entered  into  a  customs-union,  their  respective  rulers 
either  conceding  or  promising  freedom  to  the  press,  and  representation 
to  the  people.  The  French  Revolution  of  1848  followed,  producing 
a  powerful  effeot  in  Italy.  The  Sicilians  and  Neapolitans  rose  and 
demanded  a  constitution,  which  the  kiug  was  compelled  to  grant,  but 
which  he  soon  found  means  to  break. 

3.  In  the  north  of  Italy,  still  more  important  events  signalized  the 
progress  of  liberal  opinions.  The  Lombards  and  Venetians  rose  in 
insurrection,  and  threw  off  the  yoke  of  the  Austrians.  Charles 
Albert,  king  of  Sardinia,  espoused  their  cause,  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  revolutionary  movement,  and  drove  the  Austrians  imder 
Radetzky  out  of  Lombardy,  and  seemed  upon  the  point  of  taking 
possession  of  Venice. 

4.  The  scale  turned,  however,  and  Austrian  rule  was  reestablished 
in  Lombardy.  The  Sardinian  king,  encouraged  by  the  flight  of  the 
Pope  from  Rome,  in  November,  and  by  the  obstinate  resistance  made 
by  Venice  to  the  Austrians,  determined  once  more  to  measure  swords 
with  the  oppressor.  He  was  totally  routed  at  Novara,  in  March, 
1849,  and  abdicated  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  leaving  the  throne  and 
its  perplexities  to  his  son,  Victor  Emanuel  II. 

5.  The  Austrians  resumed  their  sway ;  the  Pope  was  brought  back 
to  Rome  by  French  troops — who  were  for  a  time  obstinately  resisted 
by  Garibaldi  and  others— and  was  for  many  years  kept  there  by 
French  bayonets.  The  reaction  in  Southern  Italy  was  complete,  and 
the  people  were  more  oppressed  than  ever. 

6.  The  new  king  of  Sardinia  sought  to  improve  the  condition  of  his 
subjects,  by  making  commercial  treaties  with  other  nations,  and  by 
fostering  industry  in  every  possible  way.  So  liberal  were  his  views, 
that  he  was  supported  even  by  republicans  like  Garibaldi.  Austria 
likewise  sought  to  strengthen  her  position  in  Lombardy  and  Venice, 


CCXXVL— l.What  was  th?  state  of  thinjrs  in  Italy  in  1S40?  In  1847?  What 
of  Pius  IX.?  2.  What  of  Tuscany  and  Sanlinia?  What  effect  did  the  French 
Kevoluti«.n  of  1S48  have?  Sicily  and  Naples?  3.  What  of  the  Lombards  and 
Venetians?  The  Kini:  of  Sardinia?  4.  Was  ho  Buccessful  ?  Why  did  he  perst>- 
vero  ?  What  happened  at  Novara?  5.  What  now  occurred?  The  Pope? 
Southern  luly?     6.   What  did  Victor  Emanuel  now  strive  to  do?     Austria? 


MODERN    REVOLUTIONS    OF    ITALY. 


323 


but  to  no  purpose,  as  an  insurrection  in  1854,  in  Milan,  which  was 
with  difficulty  suppressed,  very  plainly  showed. 

7.  The  political  influence  of  Sardinia  had  been  greatly  increased  by 
the  part  its  army  took  in  tlie  Crimean  war,  17,000  mr-n  having  fought 
with  the  French  and  English  against  the  Russians.  Several  circum- 
stances now  occurred  to  indicate  the  existence  of  some  species  of 
alliance  between  Victor  Emanuel  and  France.  When  Orsini,  an 
Italian,  tried  to  take  the  life  of  the  French  Emperor,  the  Sardinian 
government  passed  a  law  against  "  certain  suspected  persons."  Prince 
Napoleon,  the  cousin  of  Napoleon  III.,  sought  in  marriage,  and  sub- 
sequently wedded,  Victor  ICmanuel's  daughter. 

8.  The  h^mperor  of  Austria  was  alarmq^  at  these  events,  and  sought 
to  strengthen  himself  still  more  in  Lombardy,  and  even  to  form  an 
Italian  league.  He  saw,  however,  that  he  must  prepare  for  war,  and 
to  meet  France  and  the  States  of  Northern  Italy  in  the  field.  The 
Italians  were  led  to  suppose  that,  in  case  of  victory,  they  would  secure 
their  national  independence,  not  merely  exchange  one  foreign  supre- 
macy for  another. 

9.  The  Austrians  crossed  the  Ticino,  a  stream  separating  Lombardy 
from  Piedmont,  in  April,  1859.  They  ravaged  the  Italian  fields  during 
the  following  month,  and  on  the  20th  of  May  wore  defeated  by  the 
allies  at  Montebello,  and  were  subsequently  routed  in  the  battles  of 
Magenta  and  Solferino,  on  the  4th  and  24th  of  June.  Certain  circum- 
stances— and  among  them  the  threatening  attitude  of  Prussia — decided 
the  French  Emperor  to  tempt  the  fortunes  of  war  no  further ;  a  truce, 
and  the  treaties  of  Villafranca  and  Zurich,  followed  in  July  and 
November. 

10.  It  was  stipulated  in  these  instruments  that  Austria  should 
retain  Venice,  and  tiiat  Tuscany  and  Modena  should  resume  their 
allegiance  to  their  Austrian  Grand-Ducal  rulers;  that  Austria  siiould 
cede  to  Sardinia  a  large  portion  of  Lombards,  for  which  the  govern- 
ment of  Victor  Emanuel  should  pay  the  sum  of  forty-two  millions 
of  dollars.  The  French  Emperor  seemed  to  favor  the  establishment 
of  some  sort  of  Italian  federation,  under  the  presidency  of  the  Pope, 
an  idea  which  was  received  throughout  Italy  with  the  most  profound 
dissatisfaction. 

11.  Six  months  had  not  elapsed,  before  Tuscany,  Modena,  Parma, 
and  a  large  part  of  the  Papal  dominion?!,  had  voted  by  overwhelming 
majorities  for  annexation  to  the  dominions  of  Victor  Emanuel,  who, 
it  was  now  clearly  seen,  would  soon  become  ''King  of  Italy,"  in  fact 
and  in  name.  The  Pope  was  left  with  a  small  strip  of  territory  sur- 
rounding the  city  of  Rome.  The  province  of  Savoy  and  the  county 
of  Nice,  belonging  to  Sardinia,  were,  by  the  consent  of  their  inhabi- 
tants, transferred  to  France. 

1 2.  It  now  rem  lius  to  describe  the  final  and  successful  efibrt  made 
by  the  people  of  Naples  and  Sicily  to  throw  ofi*  the  yoke  of  their 
tyrant,  and  join  t!ie  new  Kingdom  of  Italy. 

7.  Wh.it<»f  an  alliance  bctwi'en  France  and  Sardinia?  S.  What  seemed  now 
Imminent?  What  did  the  Italians  hope  for?  9.  Describe  the  campaiirn  which 
followed.  Why  <lid  the  French  Kmjieror  desist?  What  followed?  10.  What 
airreeinent  was'  made  hy  the  treatv  ?  What  did  Austria  retain?  What  did 
Sardirua  pain,  atid  at  what  price?  What  was  the  plan  of  the  French  Emperor, 
and  how  was  it  received?  11,  What  parts  of  Italy  now  voted  for  annexation  to 
Sardinia?  IIow  was  the  Pope  lei't?  What  transfer  was  made  from  Sardinia  to 
France? 


;V2t 


MODERN    REVOLUTIONS    OF    ITALY. 


/ 


■>  CHAPTER   CCXXVII. 

Modern  Revolutions  of  Italy ,  Coneluded, 


1.  The  uprising  of  tliq  people  of  Sicilv,  in  January,  18  48,  against 
their  vsovereign,  Ferdinand  II.,  king  of  Naples,  has  been  mentioned. 
The  insurrection  spread  throughout  the  island,  and  soon  extended  to 
the  continent.  The  king,  in  order  to  appease  tlie  people,  ciiauged  h  s 
ministry,  granted  a  constitution,  and  established  universal  suffrag  • ; 
but,  wliile  making  these  concessions,  was  secretly  preparing  to  revoke 
them. 

2.  On  the  15tli  of  May,  »  revolt  in  the  city  of  Naples  was  sup- 
pressed, and  soon  afterwards  the  island  of  Sicily  had  been  recovered 
to  the  royal  authority.  The  king  took  a  bloody  revenge  upon  the 
revolutionists,  and  terrible  executions  followed  in  Messina  and  Palermo. 
The  merciless  character  of  these  punisliments  obtained  for  their  author 
the  name  of  ''  King  Bomba." 

3.  The  king,  having  re-enforced  his  mercenary  troops,  principally 
Swiss,  and  having  secured  by  largesses  the  favor  of  the  lazzaroui,  or 
beggars  of  Naples,  was  enabled  to  end  his  days  in  comparative  tran- 
quillity, lie  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Francis  II.,  in  1850,  and 
another  revolt  in  Sicily  broke  out  soon  afterwards.  Garibaldi,  who 
was  at  ti.is  time  in  Sardinia,  determined  to  go  to  the  insurgents' 
assistance. 

4.  He  left  Genoa  with  a  few  hundred  volunteers,  and  landed  in 
Sicily  in  May,  18(50.  The  Sicilians  Hocked  to  his  standard,  and  in 
numerous  engagements  overpowered  the  king's  troops.  They  took 
Palermo,  in  June,  and  Messina,  in  July.  The  king  vainly  sought  to 
satisfy  the  people,  by  offering  Sicily  a  separate  constitution  and  a 
government  of  her  own  choosing. 

5.  Francis  II.,  or,  as  he  was  sometimes  called.  Little  Bomba,  saw 
that  ho  had  lost  Sicily,  but  determined  to  make  an  effort  to  save  his 
Neapolitan  dominions.  Ho  set  his  fleet  to  cruising  between  Sicily 
and  the  main  land,  in  order  to  capture  Garibaldi,  shoidd  he  attcm{)t 
to  pass  across.  He  had  an  army  of  b;0,000  men,  and  these  he  posted 
in  advantageous  positions.  lie  did  not  know  that  many  of  his  soldiers 
and  sailors  were  heart  and  soul  with  the  revolutionists,  arvd  would  go 
over  to  Garibaldi  as  soon  as  occasion  offered. 

6.  Garibaldi  landed  on  the  Calabrian  coast  in  August,  defeated 
such  of  the  king's  troops  as  remained  faithful  to  him,  and  w;is  soon 
in  undisputed  possession  of  the  southern  lialf  of  the  Neapolitan  ter- 
ritory. The  king  fled,  in  September,  to  his  stronghold  of  (Jaeta,  on 
the  sea-coast,  to  the  north-east.  Gariiialdi  immediately  entered  Naples 
in  triumph,  and  was  looked  u;)on  an  1  obeyed  as  a  dictator. 

7.  lie  fought  the  king's  troops  onco  more  on  the  banks  of  the  Yol- 


CCXXVII.—l.  Whatof  an  uprisin;;  in  Sicily  in  1S4S?  How  «H«1  the  kinir  scik 
to  appease  the  people?  2.  What  happened  in  May  y  What  ofthe  kinir'sro  venire? 
3.  The  kinjr's  tro<.ps?  Who  succeeiled  Fer<linan<l  II?  What  evt-nt  tollowtMl? 
GaribaMi?  4.  What  <tf  his  deeds  in  Sieily?  How  <rd  the  kin-j  seek  to  ihwart 
hiui  ?  .*>.  How  did  he  strive  to  save  his  Neapolitan  dominion^?  Ilisarrny  »>nd 
navy?  Oonid  he  depend  upon  them?  6.  St;ito  what  followed.  How  was  Gari- 
baldi now  looked  ui»on? 


MODERN    REVOLUTIONS    OF    ITALY. 


325 


turno,  and  won  a  dearly-bought  victory.  On  the  21st  of  October,  he 
summoned  the  people  of  the  Two  Sicilies  to  decide  their  own  destiny 
by  vote.  1,420,000  votes  were  cast;  of  these,  1,:U0,000  were  for 
annexation  to  the  Kingdom  of  Italy,  under  Victor  Emanuel.  The 
king,  thus  invited,  and  accompanied  by  Garibaldi,  entered  Naples  on 
the  7th  of  November.  Garibaldi,  neither  asking  nor  receiving  any 
reward  whatever  for  his  services,  retired,  a  private  citizen,  to  the 
island  of  Caprera. 

8.  Francis  II.  held  his  stronghold  of  Gaeta  till  Februar)^,  1861, 
when  he  was  forced  to  abandon  it.  He  fixed  his  residence  at  Rome, 
in  the  delusive  hope  that  his  late  subjects  would  soon  tire  of  their 
new  condition  and  recall  their  former  sovereign.  Victor  Emanuel 
assumed  the  title  of  King  of  Italy  on  the  I7th  of  March,  making  Turin 
the  capital  for  the  time  being. 

9.  He  gave  the  people  a  constitution,  which  was  an  expansion  of 
the  charter  granted  in  1848,  by  Charles  Albert,  to  the  Sardinians. 
By  this  the  people  were  to  be  governed  by  a  parliament,  this  consist- 
ing of  the  king,  a  senate,  and  chamber  of  deputies.  The  senators  are 
appointed  by  the  king,  the  deputies  are  chosen  by  the  people. 
Every  man,  21  years  of  age,  who  pays  annual  taxes  to  the  amount 
of  eight  dollars,  is  a  voter.  443  deputies  were  sent  to  the  chamber 
in  18t)2.     The  capital  was  removed  to  Florence  soon  afterwards. 

10.  in  1870,  public  opinion,  as  well  in  the  i>apal  territory  iis  in  the 
rest  of  Italy,  seemed  to  demand  the  annexation  of  this  region  to  the 
new  kingdom,  and  the  king  sent  an  army  to  take  forcible  possession. 
The  troojis  of  the  Pope  made  just  suflicient  resistance  to  show  that 
violence  was  used,  and  the  royal  army  obtained  almost  bloodless  pos- 
Kcssion  of  the  city. 

11.  Tlie  Roman  people  were  then  called  upon  to  vote  upon  the 
question  whether  they  desired  to  form  part  ofthe  Kingdom  of  Italy, 
and,  by  so  doing,  make  it  one  single,  united  nation.  The  decision 
was  so  overwhelmingly  in  the  aflirmative  that  it  might  almost  be 
called  unaninmu.s,  and  thus  the  aspiration  of  the  Italians  for  national 
unity  and  independence  was,  after  many  vicissitudes,  triumphantly 
realized.     Rome  became  the  capital  in  1871. 

12.  Religion  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  desire  of  the  Romans  to 
be  freed  from  the  dominion  of  the  Pope  as  their  temporal  ruler. 
They  remained  as  good  Catholics  as  ever,  and  recognized  him,  as 
before,  as  their  spiritual  father.  The  Pope  considered  himself  hardly 
used,  and,  feeling  that  he  was  a  prisoner,  remained  for  nearly  a  year 
in  his  i)alace  of  the  Vatican.  The  Italian  government,  however, 
did  everythitig  in  its  power  to  secure  his  perfect  independence  as  th(» 
licad  of  the  church. 

13.  Italy  is  now  one  of  the  great  powers  of  Europe,  with  an  arm} 
S  400,000  men,  and  a  navy  of  100  vessels  and  1100  guns.  The 
l»eople  liave  within   the  last  thirty  years  made  great  advances  in 

7.  Wliat  of  another  iMtth-?  What  of  a  vote  in  the  Two  Sicilies?  Wliat  Wiis  the 
result?  What  did  (iaiil'altii  do?  8.  What  hccariic  of  tho  drtlironed  kin;r?  What 
title  «lid  Victor  Kniannel  assume,  and  when?  What  was  the  capital  of  Italy?  9. 
What  are  the  principal  liatun-s  t>\'  the  prc-icnt  nuvcrnnient  of  Itiil.y?  1<>,  11.  What 
happeiK'd  in  regard  to  Iluiii.'?  12.  >\  hat  ot  religion  in  this  connection  ?  Conduct 
ot  tlie  Italian  p»vernnieiit  tuwiir.ls  (he  l*opo  ?  13.  What  of  Itiily  at  the  pruseut 
1h>  ?     14,  15.  State  tJie  pruniiuuiit  events  in  the  life  of  GariUildi. 


326 


ROME  UNDER  THE  KINGS  AND  THE  REPUBLIC. 


everytliing  that  constitutes  national  greatness  and  leads  to  national 
prosperity  1  hey  are  building  railroads  and  canals,  educating  the 
j>oor,  embellishing  and  improving  the  cities.  If  thev  are  enabled  to 
remain  at  peace,  and  are  not  drawn  into  any  conflict  with  their 
neiglibors,  the  end  of  the  century  will  doubtless  see  them  a  powerful 
and  prosperous  people. 

14.  Giuseppe  Garibaldi,  who  has  acted  so  important  a  part  in  these 
events,  was  born  in  Nice,  in  1806,  and  was  bred  a  mariner.  Ho  spent 
many  years  in  South  America,  and  aided  the  people  there  in  tlieir 
struggles  for  independf  nco.  IIj  sailed  in  1848  with  a  body  of  men, 
recruited  by  liim,  and  called  the  Italian  Legion,  and,  lauding  in  Sar- 
dmia,  offered  his  services  to  Cliarles  Albert;  he  shared  in  the  disasters 
subsequently  suffered  by  that  monarch. 

15.  Upon  the  flight  of  the  Pope  from  Rome,  the  new  government 
offered  Garibaldi  a  command.  Ho  fought  the  French  successfully  for 
a  time,  and,  after  a  most  romantic  existence,  was  arrested  in  Sardinia 
and  banished.  lie  came  to  New  York  in  1850,  and  declining  a  public 
reception,  established  himself  at  Staten  Island  as  a  maker  of  candles. 
He  again  became  a  sailor,  and  after  various  wanderings  returned  to 
Nice.  In  1859,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  with  A'lstri  >,  ho 
formed  a  corps  called  the  llnntor,-;  of  the  Alps  an  I  p.Tformed  the 
splendid  part  in  the  establishment  of  the  Kingdom  of  Italy,  which 
has  been  detailed  above. 


THE    CITY    OF    ROME 


CHAPTER  CCXXVIil. 

Rome  under  the  Kings  and  the  RepuUk. 

1.  The  part  of  Rome  which  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  Roniuiut 
jjccupied  the  Palatine  Hill,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Tiber.  This  prim- 
itive town  was  built  in  a  square  form,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
Latins.  It  was  intersected  by  two  main  streets,  one  ruiming  from 
north  to  south,  the  other  from  east  to  west. 

2.  The  three  hills  north  of  the  Palatine  were  occupied  by  tlie  Sa- 
bines,  and  the  C'apitoline  Hill  was  their  citadel.  Etruscan  settle- 
ments also  existed  on  the  Cwlian  Hill,  and  part  of  the  Es(juiline.  The 
Seven  Hills,  thns  iidiahiied  by  three  different  nations,  were  united  into 
one  city,  and  surrounded  by  a  wall,  by  Servius  Tullins. 

3.  The  whole  circuit  of  the  wall  was  ab(Mit  six  miles.  It  included 
considerable  tracts  of  land  not  occupied  by  buildings,  but  either  devoted 
to  pasturage,  or  covered  with  woods  and  thickets:  such  were  large 
portions  of  the  Esquiline  and  \'iminal.     In  times  of  war  the  people 

rCXXVITI.— 1.  Of  Home  as  built  by  Honiulus?  2.  Tlie  three  hills?  The  Seven 
Ililli'  3.  The  walls?  4.  Servius  Tullius?  5.  The  cloaca  maxima,  Ac?  6.  The 
capture  by  the  Gauls?     7.  The  rebuilding? 


Alien ITECTU RE   OF    ROME. 


32" 


of  the  neighborhood  took  refuge  within  the  walls  of  the  city,  where 
they  found  sufficient  space  and  food  for  their  cattle. 

4.  Servius  Tullius  divided  the  whole  city,  within  the  walls,  into 
four  regi(»ns,  which  coincided  with  the  four  tribes  of  Roman  citiz(Mis. 
Many  great  buildings,  :is  we  have  already  remarked,  were  erected  at 
Rome  rluring  the  time  of  the  kings. 

5.  The  cloaca  rrwrinta  still  remains,  as  also  some  part  of  the  wall 
of  Servius,  the  whole  of  which  existed  in  the  eighth  century  of 
Rome  During  the  early  part  of  the  republic  we  find  no  mention  of 
3uch  great  architectural  works  as  those  of  the  kingly  period  ;  hut 
with  the  increase;  of  the  population  many  of  the  uninhabited  districts 
must  have  gradually  become  covered  with  houses. 

0  About  one  hiuidred  and  twenty  years  after  the  establishment  ol 
the  republic,  the  city  was  captured  by  the  Gauls,  who  set  it  on  fire. 
The  whole  was  consumed  except  tlie  capitol,  a  few  houses  o^  the 
Palaline,  and  the  l:irge  siructun;s  of  stone. 

7.  The  hasty  manner  in  which  the  city  was  rebuilt  explains  the 
fact,  that,  d»)wu  to  the  time  of  Nero,  ihe  s<lreets  of  Rome  were  nar- 
row,  irregular  and  crooked,  and  in  point  of  beauty  and  regularity  this 
cily  was  far  in/erior  to  many  other  great  towns  in  lluly.  For  five 
hundred  years  after  its  foundation,  the  private  houses  of  Rome  were 
^eiierallv  covered  with  shingles,  and  there  were  still  a  iiumber  of 
groves  within  the  walls. 


'/U'^- 


CHAPTER   CCXXIX. 


Architecture  of  Rovie. 

1.  Towards  the  end  of  the  perio<l  which  is  comprised  between  th« 
Gallic  conflanration  and  the  close  of  the  Second  Punic  War,  Rome 
bearan  to  be  embellished  with  temples,  whi(;h,  however,  as  to  mate- 
rials and  architecture,  were  far  inferior  to  the  temples  of  Greece. 
High  roads  and  aqueducts  were  also  constructed. 

2.  The  streets  of  the  city  do  not  appear  to  have  been  pjived  at  this 
period.  Somevvhat  later,  we  find  public  places,  streets  and  walks 
under  porticoes,  commonly  paved  with  square  blocks  of  stone. 

3.  The  |)iivate  luuises  had  from  the  earliest  times  been  very  simple 
in  structure,  but  after  the  conquest  of  Greece,  and  more  especially  of 
Asia  Minor,  the  citizens  began  to  build  their  dwellings  in  a  magnifi 
cent  stylo,  and  the  ta.ste  for  splendid  mansions  and  palaces  increased 
80  rapidly  that  a  house  like  that  of  f/rassus,  which  at  first  attracted 
universal  admiration  for  its  splendor  and  magnificence,  was  lost 
among  superior  buildings  in  the  course  of  a  few  years. 

CXJXXTX. —  I.  Of  ieMi|»I«i.  n..!.!.-!.  &.C  .  ill  Kome?  2.  Streei.8?  3.  Private  liouses?  4 
Tliiairfs.  iV.c.  ?  6  Of  llu;  reiiiaius  of  ihe  republican  city?  Of  the  improvemenU  b) 
A<i{;>i«iuii '     6.  Ai;ue(iucid '/     7.   Housaa? 


328    GRANDEUR,  EMBELLISHMENT,  AND  DECAY  OF  THE  CITY. 


4.  Public  edifices  however  still  remainen  tne  cnief  objects  of  the 
pride  of  the  Romans.  Theatres,  a  class  of  buildings  which  had  pre- 
viously been  scarcely  tolerated,  were  erected  in  several  parts  of  Rome 
during  the  last  century  of  the  republic,  especially  after  the  time  of 
Sulla.  During  the  civil  wars  between  Marius  and  Sulla,  the  numlnjr 
of  houses  had  increased  to  such  a  degree  that  they  extended  beyond 
the  walls  of  Servius. 

5.  Of  all  the  splendid  buildings  which  were  raised  during  the  lat- 
ter days  of  the  republic,  scarcely  any  traces  exist.  Augustus  migbi 
.veil  say  that  he  had  changed  Rome  from  brick  to  marble.  The 
temples,  porticoes,  arcades,  theatres,  and  public  buildings  of  every 
description,  which  were  erected  during  his  reign,  were  inimmerable 
The  whole  plain  t>etwoen  the  Quirinal  and  the  river  became  a  new 
town,  which  in  ir.aguificence  far  surpassed  the  city  of  the  hills.  This 
new  town  was  one  mass  of  temples,  arcades,  and  places  of  amuse- 
ment. 

6.  Aqueducts  for  supplying  water  had  been  built  as  early  as  313, 
B,  C.  Others  were  constructed  afterward,  but  it  was  not  till  the 
imperial  period  that  this  species  of  architecture  reached  perfection, 
and  most  of  the  remains  now  visible  belong  to  the  period  of  the  em- 
pire. 

7.  All  the  houses  in  Rome  were  very  high,  after  the  city  became 
populous.  Augustus  fixed  seventy  feet,  and  Trajan  sixty,  as  the 
maximum  height.  The  uj)per  story  was  generally  of  wood.  It  was 
a  law  of  the  Twelve  Tables,  which  also  exi.sted  in  the  legislation  of 
later  times,  that  no  two  houses  should  touch  each  other,  but  that  a 
.space  of  five  feet  should  be  left  between  them. 


CHAPTER  CCXXX. 

Grandeur  J  Emhpllishmenty  and  Decay  of  the  City, 

1.  All  that  had  been  done  for  the  embellishment  of  Rome  previ- 
0U5  to  the  reign  of  Nero,  was  eclipsed  by  the  magnificent  buildingn 
of  this  emperor;  but  the  greater  part  of  these  structures,  together 
with  those  of  former  days,  perished  in  the  conflagration  whicli  hap- 
pened before  his  death. 

2.  1 1  is  plan  of  restoring  the  city  was  gigantic,  but  it  proved  to  be 
impracticable.  He  proposed  to  make  Rome  a  seaport,  and  to  connect 
it  with  the  ocean  by  long  walls,  reaching  to  Ostia,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Tiber.  But  all  that  he  was  able  to  do  was  to  restore  those  parts 
of  the  city  which  had  been  destroyed. 

W.  The  fiice  of  the  rebuilt  portions,  however,  assumed  a  totally 
different  asoect.    On  the  ruins  of  the  Palatine  rose  the  Golden  House 


CCXXX.— 1.  Of  Xero's  ombellishment  of  Rome?  2.  His  plans  of  restoring  tho 
junit  city  ?  .^  The  Golden  House?  4.  Of  .Home  under  Vespasian  and  ComnuKhis?  b. 
severus  and  C'jiiacalla?     6.  Wall  of  .Aurelian  ?    7.  Of  tho  eniijcrors  after  CouBtantine? 


ROME   AFTER   THE   OVERTHROW   OF   THE   EMPIRE.     .^29 

of  Nero,  which  occupied  a  space  equal  to  a  large  town.  The  great- 
est care  was  taken  to  make  the  new  streets  wide  and  straigl.t.  All 
the  new  buildings  were  massive,  and  built  of  stone,  without  the  old 
wooden  upper  story. 

4.  The  width  of  the  new  streets  rendered  it  necessary  to  extend 
the  city  beyond  its  former  limits.  In  the  reign  of  Vespasian  a  mca 
Burement  of  the  circumference  of  Rome  was  taken,  according  to  which 
it  amounted  to  upwards  of  thirteen  miles.  The  subsequent  empe- 
rors continued  to  incrense  and  einbeliish  the  city,  but  in  the  reign  of 
Cofiimodus,  a  great  part  was  again  destroyed  by  fire,  which  consumed 
all  the  buildings  on  the  Palatine. 

5.  Septiiniiis  Severus  exerted  himself  to  restore  the  burnt  portions, 
and  to  ornament  the  city;  some  of  his  structures  are  still  extant. 
But  the  grandeur  and  magnificence  of  the  baths  of  Caracalla  surpassed 
all  the  works  of  his  predecessors.  Almost  all  the  great  buildings,  or 
their  remains,  which  still  exist  at  Rome,  belong  to  the  period  between 
Nero«nd  Cixijitaiitine. 

0.  The  most  extensive  work  of  this  period  is  the  immense  wall, 
with  its  numerous  towers,  with  which  Aurelian  surrounded  the  city. 
'J'his  work  appears  to  have  been  completed  in  the  reign  of  Probus, 
A.  I).  270.  Tlie  Janiculine  Mount,  which  was  fortified  from  the 
earliest  times  of  the  republic,  was  now,  for  the  first  time,  included 
within  the  city  walls,  together  with  the  region  south  of  the  Tiber. 

7.  After  the  time  of  Constantino,  when  the  emperors  and  the  Ro- 
man nobles  had  adopted  the  Christian  religion,  the  decay  and  destruc- 
.  tion  of  the  ancient  edifices  commenced.  The  building  of  numerous 
churches  was  the  immediate  cause  of  this  destruction.  Neither  the 
court  nor  private  individuals  possessed  sufficient  wealth  to  erect  build- 
ings equal  in  form  or  materials  to  those  of  their  ancestors;  and  as 
heathen  temples  could  not  always  be  converted  intoChristian  churches, 
ihey  were  ijenerdlly  pulled  down  for  the  sake  of  the  materials.  Nu- 
merous  columns  were  thus  removed  from  their  places,  and  the 
remaining  parts  were  abandoned  to  any  persons  who  chose  to  take 
them. 


CHAPTER  CCXXXI. 

Rome  after  the  Overthroio  of  the  Empire. 

1.  During  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era,  great  calamities 
vvere  inflicted  upon  Rome  by  the  ravages  of  the  northern  barbarians. 
The  population  now  began  rapidly  to  decrease,  and  towards  the  end 
of  the  century  the  suburbs  were  no^ longer  inhabited,  except  near  the 
Janiculine  Hill. 


CCXXXI.— I.  What  of  Rome   in  the  fifth  century?    2.  In  the  sixth?    3.  In  \\\t 
fev«iiih  and  eighth  ?    4.  Under  the  exarchate  and  Lombards?    5.  In  the  year  600?    6 
Xitt  ponlifls)    7.  Honorius  I.,  Adrian  I.,  and  Paul  II.  ? 


330 


ROME  IN  THE  MIDDLE  AGES. 


2.  In  the  sixth  century,  when  Rome  w'as  besieged  by  the  Goths 
under  Totila,  there  was  so  much  cultivated  land  within  the  walls  that 
the  citizens  thouoht  the  corn  thoy  had  sown  would  be  sufficient  to 
supply  the  garrison  and  inhabitants  in  a  protracted  defence. 

3.  Great  calamities  combined  to  desolate  Rome  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  century.  Famine,  earthquakes,  a  pestilence,  and  five  trC' 
mendous  inundations  of  the  Tiber,  drove  the  inhabitants  from  the 
greater  portion  of  the  ancient  site  of  the  city. 

4.  The  period  of  the  exarchate  and  of  the  Lombard  dominion  is 
that  of  the  deepest  distress  of  Rome.  The  fnost  diligent  inquiry  is 
unable  to  discover  who  were  her  acknowledged  masters,  or  what  was 
the  form  of  her  domestic  government. 

5.  Subsequently  to  the  extinction  of  the  exarchate,  in  752,  Rome 
had  been  abandoned,  but  was  never  formally  resigned,  by  the  Greek 
emperors.  About  the  year  800,  the  Romans  apj.ear  to  have  recurred 
to  the  memory  of  their  former  institutions.  They  organized  a  corpo- 
ration, which  received  advice  rather  than  conunand  from  the  pope, 
who  had  silently  usurped  the  title  of  *'  Lord." 

6.  The  history  of  Rome  soon  became  merged  in  the  history  of  the 
pontiffs,  who  employed  every  moment  of  peace  and  prosperity  in 
rebuilding  the  walls,  in  burning  lime,  in  constructing  churches  and 
shrines  of  majiyrs.  the  materials  of  which  were  supplied  from  the 
deserted  ruin?.. 

7.  Honorius  I.  stripped  the  temple  of  Romulus  of  its  gilt  tiles 
Greijory  III.  took  the  columns  from  an  ancient  building  ioi  nie  church 
of  St.  Peter.     Adrian  I.  demolished  one  of  the  most  gigantic  and   • 
massive  of  the  old  structures  of  the  city,  to  enlarge  a  church.     Paul 
II.  employed  the  stones  of  the  Coliseum  to  build  a  palace. 


1 


CHAPTER  CCXXXIL 


■// 


'// 


Rome  171  the  Middle  Ages, 

1.  With  the  introduction  of  modem  manners,  arff  iterturc  and 
political  institutions,  a  now  Rome  rose  on  the  ruins  of  the  o  d  capit.il 
The  rising  importance  of  the  modern  city  accelerated  the  destruotioi 
of  what  remained  of  ancient  structures.  Yxonx  the  time  when  Ronu^ 
again  became  worth  a  contest,  we  find  her  citizens  in  arms,  som*- 
times  against  each  other,  sometimes  against  the  pretenders  to  t|n 
imperial  crown. 

2.  The  spirit  of  feudalism  bred  a  succession  of  factions  within  her 
walls,  most  ;>ernicious  to  the  rej)ose  and  prosperity  of  the  state.  The 
gigantic  structures  of  the  city  oecamc  converted  into  fortresses,  and 
sufTercil  in  the  civil  wars  which  distracted  the  comnuniity. 

3.  The  Orsini  occupied  the  mausoleum  of  Adrian  and  the  theatre 

CCXXXTI— What  of  the  new  Kome?  2.  Of  the  spirit  of  fiMidiilism?  .3.  Tlie 
Orsini,  the  C'olonna,  the  Krunjripani,  ami  their  wars?  4.  Quarrelti  of  the  popes  and 
eiiii)erorj*  ?     6,  ti.  Of  fire^  in  Hoiii*'  ? 


ROME    UNDER   THE   POPES. 


331 


of  Pompey.  The  Colonna  chieftains  intrenched  themselves  within 
tne  massy  walls  of  the  tomb  of  Augustus  and  the  baths  of  Constan- 
Ime.  The  Conti  fortified  the  edifices  on  the  Quirinal.  The  Frantri- 
pani  fought  their  enemies  from  the  innumerable  arches  of  the  Colise- 
um, f:jm  the  Septizoniuin  of  Severus,  and  the  great  arch  of  Janus. 
I  he  Savelh  converted  the  enormous  tomb  of  Cecilia  Metella  into  a 
tortr^.^,  and  the  pope  devoted  the  Pantheon  to  the  same  purpose. 

4.  In  the  quarrels  between   the  pope  and  the  German  emperor 
which  embroiled  the  whole  of  Italy,  the  city  of  Rome  was  a  chosen 
icene  of  combat.     Within  its  walls  were  castles  to  defend  and  space 
0   fight.     We  read,  accordingly,  in   the  annals  of  those  times,  of 

armies  encamped  on  the  Aventine,  and  marching  from  the  tomb  of 
Adrian  to  the  Lateran,  or  turning  aside  to  the  Coliseum  or  the  capitol, 
as  if  through  a  desert,  to  the  attack  of  the  strong  posts  occupied  by 
the  respective  partisans  of  the  pope  or  the  emperor. 

5.  Great  fires  were  sometimes  the  consecjuence  of  these  hostilities. 
The  emperor  Henry  IV.,  the  troops  of  the  pope's  nephew,  Rusticus, 
and  the  Normans  of  Robert  Guiscard,  committed  more  havoc  amoncr 
the  remains  of  ancient  Rome,  from  1082  to  1084,  than  all  the  preced'^ 
ing  barbarians  of  every  age. 

6.  The  first  of  these  ravagers  burnt  a  large  part  of  that  district 
called  the  Leonine  city  ;  he  destroyed  the  great  portico  from  the 
Ostian  Gate  to  the  church  of  St.  Paul,  battered  the  tomb  of  Adrian, 
and  demolished  many  of  the  Capitoline  structures.  The  army  of 
Guiscard,  with  the  papal  faction,  burnt  the  city  from  the  Flaminian 
Gate  to  the  Antonine  Col-unn,  laid  waste  the  sides  of  the  Esquiline  to 
the  Latenui,  set  fire  to  the  whole  region  from  thence  to  the  Coliseum 
and  tlie  capitol,  and  completed  the  ruin  of  the  latter  edifice. 


CHAPTER  CCXXXIII. 

Rome  under  the  Popes. 

1.  From  this  period  must  be  dated  the  desolation  of  the  Esquiline 
the  \  iminal,  and  the  Coelian  Hills,  the  ruin  of  the  Coliseum,  and 
many  of  the  structures  in  the  Forum  and  the  Sacred  Way.  A  con- 
lemp(»rary  viTiter  says  that  all  the  regions  of  the  city  were  ruine.1. 
Another  spectator,  who  was  in  Rome  twelve  years  afterwards, 
laments  that  although  what  remained  could  not  be  equalled,  what  wa.« 
ruined  could  never  be  repaired. 

2.  What  chiefly  excited  the  astonishment  of  this  observer,  was 
ihe  beauty  of  the  statues,  which,  according  to  him,  the  gods  theuj- 
selves  nught  survey  with  envy,  and  which  were  worthy  of  beino 
worshipped,  on  the  sculi)tor's  account.  " 

3.  In    11()T   the  German  army  of  Frederic  Barbarossa  assaulted 

rCXXXITI.— 1.   Of  the  desolation  of  the  citv'     2    Of  thf>  Ktifii..«?     i    v7~^ 
u.,„ro«s,.?    4    Drancaleonc?    6.  Of  the  deathaud  tlM.ion  of   1  c  popest   0  ?   of 
the  coronation  of  the  emperors?  v^v^t>i     o,  <•  ui 


332       RUINS   OF   ROME   IN   THE   FIFTEENTH    CENTURY. 


MODERN   ROME. 


333 


the  Vatican  for  a  week,  and  the  pope  saved  himself  in  the  Coliseum. 
After  the  popes  had  hegnv  to  yield  to  the  unequal  contest  with  the 
senators  and  people,  and  had  ceased  to  reside  constantly  at  the  capi- 
tal, the  field  was  left  open  for  the  wars  of  the  nobles. 

4.  The  people,  to  arrest  their  violence,  placed  the  senator  Bran- 
caleone  at  the  head  of  the  government.  This  magistrate  threw  down 
one  hundred  and  forty  towers  of  the  refractory  nobles,  with  a  great 
number  of  palaces,  baths,  temples,  and  columns,  the  remains  of  the 
ancient  city. 

5.  There  were  intervals  between  the  death  and  the  election  of  the 
popes,  when  the  city  was  unprovided  with  any  recognized  authorities. 
In  1291  such  an  interval  caused  six  months  of  civil  war.  The  towers 
and  fortresses  of  the  city  were  furnished  with  engines  which  ca.st 
stones  of  twelve  hundred  pounds'  weight ;  and  it  is  easy  to  imagine 
what  mischief  they  cau.sed  among  the  crumbling  walls  of  the  old 
structures. 

6.  The  coronation  of  the  emperor,  Henry  VII.,  was  attended  with 
battles  fouglit  in  every  quarter  of  the  city,  from  the  Vatican  to  the 
Lateran  ;  and  while  he  received  the  ensigns  of  universal  empire  m 
the  latter  church,  his  rival,  John,  was  in  possession  of  the  fortified 
church  of  St.  Peter  and  other  posts. 

7.  The  fall  of  houses,  conflagration,  slaughter,  the  ringing  of  bells 
in  all  the  churches,  the  shouts  of  the  combatants,  the  clang  of  aims, 
and  the  rush  of  the  people  from  all  quarters,  formed  an  universjii 
uproar  which  was  the  common  prelude  to  the  coronation  of  a  German 
Cxsar  in  Home. 


CHAPTER   CCXXXIV. 

Ruins  of  Rome  in  the  Fifteenth  Century, 

1.  The  triumph  of  superstition  conspired  with  the  ignorance  and 
necessities  of  the  Romans  to  render  them  more  indiHerent  to  the  relics 
of  pagan  antiquity.  Whatever  nationality  and  j)atiiotism  they  had 
evinced  in  the  tinies  of  turbulence,  were  degraded  into  a  blind  vener- 
ation for  the  shrines  of  the  apostles,  and  for  the  person  of  their  suc- 
cessor. 

2.  A  secretary  of  the  popes,  an  antiquary,  and  one  who  may  be 
cited  as  a  favorable  specimen  of  the  better  class  of  citizens,  writes 
thus.  **  There 'are  still  at  Rome  most  high  and  adminible  objects, 
which  can  be  seen  nowhere  else.  Here  is  the  threshold  of  the  apos- 
tles, and  the  earth  purple  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs.  Here  is 
the  handkerchief  of  St.  Veronica,  the  heads  of  Peter  and  Paul,  th< 
cradle  of  our  Saviour,  and  the  bridal  ring  sent  from  heaven  to  St. 
Agnes.  More  than  fifty  thousand  strangers,  from  all  parts  of  the 
world,  come  every  year  to  Rome  in  the  time  of  Lent,  to  see,  touch, 
and  venerate  these  things.' 


?) 


3.  I'he  remams  of  antiquity  were  mere  rubbish  in  the  eyes  of  that 
generation.  In  1430,  Poggio  Bracciolini  uttered  the  following  solil- 
oipiy,  as  he  surveyed  the  remains  of  the  Eternal  City  from  the  sum- 
mit of  the  Capitoline  Hill.  '*  The  primeval  state  of  Rome  has  been 
delineated  by  the  fancy  of  Virgil.  The  Tarpeian  Rock  was  then  a 
savage  and  solitary  thicket ;  in  the  time  of  the  poet  it  was  crowned 
with  the  golden  roof  of  a  temple. 

4.  "  The  temple  is  overthrown  ;  the  gold  has  been  pillaged  ;  thf: 
wheel  of  fortune  has  accomplished  its  revolution,  and  the  sacred 
ground  is  again  disfigured  with  thorns  and  brambles.  The  hill  of  the 
capitol,  on  which  we  sit,  was  formerly  the  head  of  the  R<)man  empire, 
the  citadel  of  the  earth,  the  terror  of  kinffs. 

5.  '*  Fhc  spectacle  of  the  world,  how  is  it  fallen!  how  defaced  I 
The  path  of  victory  is  obliterated  by  vines,  and  the  bcnclies  of  the 
senators'  are  concealed  by  a  dunghill.  Cast  your  eyes  on  the  Palatine 
Mount,  and  seek  among  the  shapeless  and  enormous  fragments,  the 
marble  theatre,  the  obelisks,  and  the  colossal  statues  and  the  porticoes 
of  Nero's  palace. 

6.  '*  Survey  the  other  hills  of  the  city  ;  the  vacant  space  is  inter 
rupted  only  by  ruins  and  gardens.     The  forum  of  the  Roman  people 
where  they  assembled  to  enact  their  laws  and  elect  their  magistrates, 
is  now  enclosed  for  the  cultivation  of  pot-herbs,  or  thrown  open  for 
the  reception  of  swine  and  bufialoes. 

"7.  *'  The  public  and  private  edifices,  that  were  founded  for  eternity 
lie  pmstrate,  naked  and  broken,  like  the  limbs  of  a  mighty  giant. 
And  the  ruin  is  the  more  visible  from  the  stupendoMjj  relics  that  have 
survived  the  injuries  of  time  and  fortune." 


CHAPTER   CCXXXV: 

Modern  Rome. 


1.  1  iB  Rome  of  the  middle  ages  was  a  mas5  )f  irregulai  lanes, 
OLilt  ai  iong  ruins,  and  surmounted  by  brick  towen  The  streets  were 
so  narr  iw  that  two  horsemen  could  with  difficu't}  ride  abreast.  The 
rebuilding  of  the  city  by  Sixtus  IV.,  and  the  embellishments  of  his 
successors,  have  completely  obliterated  this  town,  and  that  which  Wt* 
now  see  is  a  city  which  can  date  no  further  back  thar  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century. 

2.  The  destruction  of  the  ancient  relics  continued  till  a  ver^  late 
period.  Statues  of  marble  were  burnt  to  make  lime.  One  ponlill 
look  down  the  temple  of  Hercules,  and  demolished  an  ancient  bridge,  to 
manufacture  cannon  balls  for  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo  ;  another  stripped 
the  Pantheon  of  its  bronze  tiles,  to  cast  cannon  for  the  same  fortress. 

3.  Strange  to  say,  the  golden  age  of  Leo  X.  witnessed  the  great- 
est height  of  this  barbaric  destruction.     In  the  wars  of  the  Emperor 


CCXXXIV.  — 1.  Wh.u  of  the  8iii»ersiiHon  and  ignorance  of  ihe  Rnmanj??  2.  Ofa8«> 
relary  of  ine  jxipe?  3.  Of  Poggio  Bracciolini?  4  Of  his  description  of  the  ruins  o( 
EU>nae? 


CCXXXV.  —  1.  What  was  the  Rome  of  the  middle  ages?  What  of  Sixtus  V.  ? 
How  were  the  ancient  relica  destroyed?  '6.  Of  the  ase  (»f  l^o  X.  ?  4  Paul  III  ? 
Alexander  Vtl.  ?    6    Of  the  jHifWd  wl»o  iniproved  the  city  ? 


2 
S 


334 


REVIEW. 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


385 


Charles  V.,  Rome  was  taken  and  sacked,  A.  D.  1.V27,  by  the  Consta 
ble  of  Bourbon,  who  commanded  the  imperial  iroops.^  For  lui.e 
months  tlie  city  was  a  prey  to  a  barbarous  (Jeruuiii  and  Spanish  sol- 
diery. The  churches  and  palaces  were  pillajred  ;  statues  and  oohinuis 
were  overthrown,  and  the  chambers  of  the  Vatican  and  the  irescoes 
of  Raphael  still  bear  the  marks  of  this  cahmiity. 

4.  The  work  of  destruction,  however,  bep:an  to  cease  m  the  six- 
teenth century.  Paul  III.,  by  a  bull  issued  in  1534,  made  it  a  capita; 
offence  to  grind  down  statues,  and  he  appointed  an  antiquarian  com- 
missary to  attend  to  the  preservation  of  the  architectural  remains 
Yet  under  the^uccessors  of  this  pontiff,  it  was  customary  for  sculp- 
tors to  cut  their  statues  from  ancient  columns,  and  many  old  struc- 
lures  were  plundered  of  their  marble  to  erect  palaces. 

5.  The  embellishments  of  the  rising  city  thus  caused  many  of  the 
old  relics  to  disappear.  The  last  recorded  destruction  oi  this  kind 
was  the  demolition  of  the  Flaminian  Arch,  in  the  Corso,  by  Alexan- 
der VII.  From  1527  to  1798,  Rome  wiis  not  entered  by  any  hostile 
army,  nor  exposed  to  anv  political  revolution. 

G  The  popes  who  have  done  most  for  improving  and  embellishing 
the  city,  are  Nicolas  V.,  — Paul  II.,  who  built  the  Venetian  palace 
and  part  of  the  Corso,  — Leo  X.,  who  began  St.  Peter's  church,-- 
GrefTory  XIII.,  who  founded  the  Roman  college,  — Sixtus  \  .,  wlio 
raised  most  of  the  obelisks,  —  Paul  V.,  who  built  the  splendid  church 
of  Sta.  Maria  Mageriore,  the  Borghese  palace,  and  other  structures,  — 
GrecTory  XV.,  —  Alexander  VII.,  — Clement  XI.,  — Benedict  XI  > 
and ''lastly,  Pius  VI.,  who  established  that  unrivalled  repository  of 
antiquities,  the  Vatican  Museum.  The  French,  also,  during  their 
Dcc  ipation  of  Rome,  from  1810  to  1814,  contributed  materially  to  the 
improvement  and  ornament  of   he  city. 


3.  It  would  seem,  then,  that  a  small  band  of  emigrants  settled  in 
.|i  the  central  part  of  Italy,  and  founded  a  city,  753  years  before  Christ, 
M              giving  it  the  name  of  Rome,  after  their  leader,  Romulus.     The  city 

increased,  and  in  time  became  the  centre  of  an  empire  which  con- 
quered nearly  the  whole  civilized  world. 

4.  The  history  of  Rome  we  divide  into  three  periods;   the  first  ex- 
tending from  753,  B.  C,  to  508,  B.  C.     This  is  the  Regal  Period 
lor,  during  this  space  of  almost  two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  Rome 
was  governed  by  kings. 

5.  Tarquin  the  Proud  was  the  last  of  these  monarchs  :   after  his 
expulsion,  the  government  w^  changed  for  that  of  a  Republic,     This 
torm  continue»l  to  the  usurpation  of  .Tubus  Cii-sar,  who  became  sole 
master  and  ruler  of  l^ome,  with  its  vast  domains  in  Europe,  Asia 
and  Africa,  48,  B.  C.  P  »  » 

6.  A  period  of  war  and  confusion  ensued,  but  Augustus,  a  nephew 
^     of  the  great  Caesar,  prevailed  over  all  competitors,  and  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  founder  of  the  Empire,  A.  D.  34.     Thus  the  Republic 
lasted  nearly  five  hundred  years,  and  it  was  during  this  second  period 
that  Rome  rose  to  its  greatest  pilch  of  power. 

7    The  third  period  of  Roman   history  extends  from  the  time  of 
Augustus,  to  the  time  of  Odoacer,  476,  A.  D. ;  this  was  the  period  of 
Uie  Empire,  and  occupies  a  space  of  more  than  five  hundred  years 
Thus  the  history  of  Ancient  Home,  extending  from  753,  B.  C,  to  470^ 
A.  D.,  embraces  a  period  of  twelve  hundred  and  twenty-nine  years. 

8.  'J'be  ^  istory  of  Modern  Italy,  beginning  with  Odoacer,  A  L).  4  S 
exhibits  a  series  of  interesting  events,  especially  during  the  middle 
ages,  but  since  the  fall  of  Rome,  it  has  never  been  united  under  one 
governrxent;  and  though  the  people  may  be  considered  as  one  nat'on, 
thev  have  been  always  bioken  into  separate  and  secondary  states 


CHAPTER    CCXXXVl. 

Review. 

I  We  ha  76  now  completed  our  Account  of  Ancient  I  ^me,  and 
Sketch  of  Modern  Italy.  The  former  presents  to  us  the  inojrt  powerlu. 
empire  of  antiquity,  and  perhaps  the  grandest  subject  ot  n  ntumpla- 
tion  within  the  whole  scope  of  history. 

2.  The  early  history  of  Rome  goes  back  to  a  remote  date,  aid  the 
stories  of  that  period  which  are  handed  down  to  us  are,  no  doubt, 
either  entirely  fabulous,  or  so  mixed  with  fable  as  to  be  scarcely 
distinguishable  from  it.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  they  are  illus- 
trative of  tlve  events  and  manners  of  the  times,  and  serve  to  give  us 
just  impressions  of  the  remote  ages  to  which  they  refer. 


rrWJiy    -\.  what  does  the  hi.siory  of  ancient  Rome  yresenl?    2.  What  of  lie 

V  historv'of  Pome  ?    3.  What  was  ihe  origin  of  Ron^e?  When  was  Ron.e  f..m,.  .-.I .' 

:^re  dUrtl>me%i  its  name  ?  What  <.f  the  pro<rress  of  the  city  of  Rome  ?    4    Into  h..w 

:  y  perio!iri^  the  hMiory  <.f  Rome  divide.n  What  wa.  the  governme.a  of  Rome  .mr 

'  tUf  firai  i)erio<l  i   What  was  the  extent  ol  the  first  perifMl  ?       ^  .  . 

^'l^JItreleUhe pupii  tell  some  of  the princijHU  Inculenls  of  tnejirsl  period. 


CHAPTER  CCXXXVII.  -- 

Chronological  Table.        ^ — ^ 

The  following  table  may  be  used  for  reference,  or  committed  to 

memory,  as  a  means  of  establishing  the  outlines  of  the  chronology  ir. 

the  mind. 

FirsL.t  or  Regal  Period.  b.  c. 


Foundation  of  Rome  by  Rom- 
ulus,      

Death  of  Numa  Pompilius, 
second  king  of  Rome,  .     . 


r53 


706 


Ancus  Martins  became  king,  038 
Servius  Tullius  king,  .     .     .  57C 
Tarquin  the  Proud,  last  king 
of  Rome,  expelled,     .     .     508 


5. 


— tlj,    y " „    * J — *   ;.  ^;   *'« — *-.     • 

»        *     »  "    •   '  ''  '  •    *    •     *  • 

Wwiat  cliangfi  tJ)ok  ptactf  u/the'igovefni,ient»    • 
overlii^ned,l1le  jRv)tf)a*r^  i^pijblifj?  ;^V^len''di^^  '  *, 


Who  was  the  last  of  the  Roman  kings/ 
of  Rome,  after  Tarqnin's  expulsifm  ?   Who 

ihe  Roman  republic  cease?     G.  Who  may  be  considered  as  having  established  the  em 
nire?  When  did  Augustus  become  emperor?  How  long  did  the  republic  last?  When  did 
Rome  rise  to  its  greatest  pilch  of  [)ower?         t     I  !»    i  .1  *,      /  .  *  *  t  *•    •'*.  ^   *  J  * 

tO~  Itere  let  the  pupil  tell  some  of  the  prihcipat  hiifi\4en1s  »f  ^  rtiixhUtnrf.  ^riod. 

7.  When  docs  ttie  third  period  of  Roman  histyi;^  le^'P  5nd1;A"d  1*  \Vji^t  \yaS,tiA33BXt»5[^t 
of  the  third  or  imperial  perio<l  of  Roman  history?  VVhat  was  the  entire  extent  of  the 
history  of  Ancient  Kumo? 

tC3n  Let  the  pupil  here  inention  some  of  the  Most  celebfttted  atfjierors^  eivin^J/ktii 
dates  and  characters.  The  review  of  the  histoxy  maij^ beltj'jis  ^p^ae  rr^f%  ot\1»m  nii 
nutf.,  as  the  tcnchrr  mmj  drmi  ndtisnble.  *  •••••       •• 


•  • 


3r;(> 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


Rome  becomes  a  Republic,  .  508 
Cliiudius  and  S('rviliusconsuls,402 
('ori(>lanus  baiiisbed,  .  .  .  490 
Laws  of  the  Twelve  Tables 

brought  from  (Jreece,  .  450 
Rome  captured  and  set  on  fire 

by  the  Gauls 389 

Curtius  leaps  from  the  rock,  36'^ 
Pyrrhus  makes  war   o..   the 

Romans.   ......  28( 

First  Pur  ic  War,  .  .  .  204 
Second  Punic  War,     .  .  2lfc 


Second,  or  RepithUoan  Period. 


Battle  of  Cannae, 
Battle  of  Zama, 
Harmibal  died, 
Third  Punic  War, 


2lc 

183 
14«l 


Carthage  conquered    and 
destroyed, 

(Ireece  finally  couijuered  and 
made  a  Roman  provmce, 

Ciracchus  slam,     .... 

The  Cnunri  invade  Rome,     . 

Social  War, 

Civil    wars   of    Marius    and 
Sulla 

Sulla  dictator, 

Rebellion  of  Spartacus, 

Conspiracy  of  Catiline, 

Caesar  crosses  the  Rubict;n, 

Battle  of  Pharsalia,     .     . 

Death  of  Casar,  .... 

Battle  of  Philij)pi,  .     .     . 


Death  of  Antony, 
Thirds  or  Imperial  Period. 


146 

146 

122 

110 

91 

87 

71 

<J2 
ID 

14 

.    44 
31 


A.  D. 


30 
14 
37 
54 

68 
72 


Augtistiis  emperor, 
Death  of  Auj?ustus, 
Death  of  Tiberius,       .     .     . 
Nero  becomes  emperor, 
Galba  emperor,       .... 
Rome  captured  and  destroyed. 
Death  of  Vesp:isian,  —  Titus 

his  successor ^*^^ 

Destruction  of  Herculaneum 

and  Pompeii,  .  .  .  .  *9 
Aurelius  emperor,  .  .  .  1^*>3 
Zenobia  taken  to  Rome  as  a 

captive,     .     .     •     .  .2/0 


275 
284 
320 
33( 
361 


Death  of  Aurelian, 
Dioclesia  i  emperor, 
Constantine  emperor,     .     . 
Constantinople  built,    .     . 
Julian  the  Apostate,       .     . 
The  empire  divided  by  Val- 

entinian, 364 

Britain  finally  separated  from 

the  Roman  empire,  .  .  427 
Rome  besieged  by  Alaric,  .  408 
Rome  taken    and   plundered 

by  Genseric, 455 

Odoacer  king  of  Rome.        .     47b 


ID=>  The  teacher  can  make  this  lable  the  basis  of  an  exaniiriticn  ei 
lis  pupil,  more  or  less  extensive,  as  he  may  choose. 


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This  book  is  due  two  weeks  from  the  last  date  stamped 
below,  and  if  not  returned  at  or  before  that  time  a  fine  of 
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